DEXTER

What it does

Dexter is a connected scan with an application that detects the hand's movements. The aim is to motivate, to guide and to correct the physiotherapist's patient in real time thanks to advises, corrections and supports during its home rehabilitation.

Your inspiration

Hands are at the heart of our lives. We constantly use them. Thanks to them we can manipulate most of the objects around us. So, they are important for our comfort. It is the reason why I have an interest for their re-education. Thanks to a collaboration with physiotherapists of l’Institut de la main I could notice that many patient do not do the exercises they have to do at home because they miss motivation, or they do it the wrong way because there is nobody to guide and correct them. So, I wondered how to make this home rehabilitation more attractive and fitting to the physiotherapist’s instructions.

How it works

The scanner allows an accurate assessment of the hand’s pressure and of its postures and movements. This is possible thanks to several cameras located on the object’s top and side: 2 3D infra-red light cameras and 2 lasers to represent the work space by a grid pattern form. They manage the depth of field. 2 RGB cameras that film the actions and 2 thermal imaging cameras in order to estimate the hand’s strength. The data are instantly deliver to the Dexter application by Bluetooth. A rechargeable battery is located in the armrest. This one is connectable on both sides of the scanner thanks to some magnets. In this way this part is always correctly placed and in the cameras’ line. Consequently, the user can work comfortably its two hands. The materials employed are some injected moulding ABS for the structure and an elastomer for the part where rests the arm. This allows more comfort and a good support.

Design process

I began by doing a technological research in order to find the more adapted to the realisation and estimation of the exercises (smart textile, connected tattoos, prosthesis, video game, 3D scanner). I studied for each possibility the feasibility, advantages and harms corresponding to the project’s needed. Then I designed the scanner. I made some mock-up in order to obtain a compact product that does not annoy the movements’ execution. I also made some research for the armrest. This one is essential in hand rehabilitation because it allows to relax entirely the elbow and the shoulder. Thanks to these models I defined the sizes and the perfect angle to put the hand under the cameras. I asked some people with different arms’ size to try them, so I could choose the best proposal. After I drew all details in 3D. In this way I chose to make the structure thicker in order to reinforce it and let more space for the cameras. This is ending by a shape that balance the object. I also drew a larger base which is used to put away with the armrest. Consequently, the hand is always well placed with the cameras. Then I printed it in 3D to check the scale, the stability and the details. Simultaneously, I worked on the application with a digital artistic director called Mélissande Mestas.

How it is different

A lot of accessories exist for the hand’s strength and mobility work. Dexter is different by its capacity to guide, to supervise and to correct the patient’s practice in real time.

Future plans

Now I want to work with some engineers for the technological part development of this object and some developers for the application. The aim is to obtain a marketable product. As we can often see physiotherapists giving an exercise to a patient and let him do it while he is taking care of another one, this project could also be use in theirs consulting rooms.

Awards

Label de l’Observeur du design 2019