BioLiberty - innovative solutions for independent living

by Startacus Admin

We take a look at BioLiberty, the Edinburgh-based healthtech startup that's created an AI-powered assistive device and digital therapy platform for people living with hand weakness

Across the UK alone, 2.5 million people live with hand weakness, which can be as a result of conditions such as stroke, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and motor neurone disease. Sometimes, it is simply the result of ageing, and with an ageing population, this number will only increase. While doctors and scientists work on easing or eliminating these conditions, we need a more immediate solution to help people with this aspect of their lives.

Edinburgh-based healthtech startup BioLiberty is taking on this challenge with their AI-powered assistive device and digital therapy platform. This device is a glove that amplifies grip strength to allow you to continue to perform basic tasks that would otherwise become difficult with weakened hands. 

The digital therapy platform is an app that helps with rehabilitation and can develop natural hand strength to get back at least a degree of what has been lost. In a similar way to some bionic hands, the glove uses electromyography (EMG) to detect and measure electrical activity generated by muscle activity, and the AI translates that into appropriate force in the glove, helping the wearer to apply the right pressure to open a jar or hold a glass of water, for example.

Just recently, BioLiberty secured a place in the Edinburgh Business School’s Incubator, which is run from Heriot-Watt University. In this “safe harbour for young startups to validate their ideas and identify suitable markets”, as their tagline puts it, BioLiberty will receive free desk space, training, workshops, and mentorship for a year to help them complete their work quicker and get the glove onto more hands.

Hand weakness is not something people think about, as their minds dwell on more obvious and frightening aspects of illness and ageing, but as you reach to take another sip of your coffee, imagine for a moment not having the strength in your hand to pick up that cup. A great many things we take for granted and don’t even think about are doable simply because we have the strength in our hands to do them, so a device that can help give that back to those who have lost it stands to be hugely beneficial.

Like this? You may also want to read up on GyroGear, the London-based medtech startup that's creating innovative wearable devices to stabilise hand tremors. 

 

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Published on: 19th March 2021