Treatment For Brain Damage Or Neurological Disorders Could Be As Close As The Wardrobe

Image Caption: Front view of the Mollii garment for improving range of motion and reduce pain as a result of brain injury or neurological disorders. Credit: KTH The Royal Institute of Technology

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Improved range of motion and reduced pain for people with brain injuries and neurological disorders may now be available with a specially-designed elastic body suit fitted with electrodes, which was designed at Stockholms KTH Royal Institute of Technology in collaboration with health care and business partners.

The Mollii garment provides an alternative to painful treatments and surgery, by treating the body with electrical stimulation to ease tension and spasms. The result is reduced pain perception and increased mobility.

The idea originated with a Swedish chiropractor, Fredrik Lundqvist, who worked with rehabilitation of brain-damaged patients. Lundqvist struck upon the idea of sewing electrical stimuli similar to TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) electrodes into garments that the patient can wear.

He turned to KTH researchers Johan Gawell and Jonas Wistrand at the Department of Machine Design at KTH. They produced a prototype of the product, and today they are working full time on the development of Mollii, Lundqvist says.

Designed with ordinary swimsuit material, the body suit has conductive elastic sewn into it, with electrodes located at the major muscles.

Battery-powered light current is conducted via silver wires to 58 electrodes attached to the inside of the garment, which in turn stimulate as many as distinct 42 muscles, according to the patients needs.

Batteries are placed in a small control box fitted at the waistband.

The idea is that the clothes should be used for a few hours, three times a week, and the effect is expected to last for up to two days, Lundqvist says.

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Treatment For Brain Damage Or Neurological Disorders Could Be As Close As The Wardrobe