Tass Glove updates

[sarasummer]

How are all the folk doing on their homemade Tass gloves? Any improvements in symptoms? Is the DIY gloves worth pursuing? I’m looking at having my son make me some under the RICE university guidelines. Is it worth the time and money? Thoughts please

[Fed1000]

Great question. You preceded me.

[cgreg]

Hi Sara. I am very interested in making a pair because it seems that the design by Rice uses motors for the fingers which are closer to the ones specified by Dr. Tass compared to most of the other DIY gloves. I wish your son would make a video detailing how the gloves are put together for the benefit of those of us who lack the expertise.

[LiveRideCure]

I recommend you watch videos on 2 YouTube channels. First Pat Riddle. He was in the Tass Study. Second Living with Parkinson’s. He built his own. I have been following the Tass study closely as well as the DIY movement. My wife has PD. My assessment is that the gloves will be a tool to help some with some of the symptoms. If the gloves help with lowering the amount of medication while lessening symptoms and not too time consuming and impactful on living then I feel they will be worth it.

[LittleBigPopit]

I'm planning on working on my miniturized PCB again as winter begins. I'd like to add a booster circuit and BMS circuit to my design before calling it done. I just don't have the knowledge yet.My Dad seems to get some symptom relief from either the gloves with ERM motors or the LRA buzzers. I can't speak on specifics since that's best left for him to answer.

Has anyone been able to get the 3d print files from the Rice University project? I'd like to incorporate that in my own design if their license is permitting.

[pdbuzzboard in reply to LittleBigPopit]

The Rice files appear to be here: github.com/RiceU-Vibrotacti...

[LittleBigPopit in reply to pdbuzzboard]

I haven't been able to find them on the github or on their website. Am I missing something?

[pdbuzzboard in reply to LittleBigPopit]

The Arduino code, directions and 3D printing info appear to be here: github.com/RiceU-Vibrotacti...

[LittleBigPopit in reply to pdbuzzboard]

That repository doesn't have any 3d model files I recognize. I've emailed them asking if they can upload the 3d model files.

[Ctime]

I just ordered 10 boards. The minimum was 5 which did not seem to make sense if you need a pair! if anyone wants a pair at cost please reach out to me on chat, not reply.

EDIT- I was just digging into the RICE project a bit more. It is not a turnkey project although it is good work. They don't have a code repository for the software or the fingertip tactor holders and they omit the microcontrollers, batteries, bus bar and other items from their BOM. I have reached out to them and I hope they are able to respond.

[WinnieThePoo]

Couldn't live without mine. My wife won't let me travel without. Just finalising modifications for a "ye olde fashionede" Mk4 set, and a brand new, hot off the press, mk6 (nearly) solderless set. But I'm not good if I skip using them for more than a few days. After Christmas we plan to experiment a bit again - including re-trying 4 hours a day. After Christmas!!!

[Ethin]

Definitely go for it.

Apart from the symptomatic relief provided by L-Dopa, the gloves have made the biggest positive impact on my life. I have been regularly using them for 1 + years. I feel much better now than I did a year ago, and I think the improvements (in terms of reduced dystonia, rigor and tremor and generally improved energy), while very gradual , are still continuing, so I will keep using them.

The biggest effort, though, is not in building the gloves, but in wearing them every single day, for many hours.

[sarasummer in reply to Ethin]

How much have they reduced your tremor?

[Ethin]

Tremor has never been a big problem for me (instead, dystonia disabled me to a point where I could barely walk), but the gloves also helped to reduce whatever tremor there was, if I would have to give a quantitative estimate, I would say by a third to half.

[Fed1000 in reply to Ethin]

Good morning Ethin, do they also help reduce slowness and stiffness? Have you been able to reduce your medications? Sorry for the questions but they are fundamental for me. Thank you very much

[Ethin in reply to Fed1000]

Hello Fed, indeed, the reduction of stiffness / rigor has been one of the most beneficial aspects of the vCR glove therapy, but I would say slowness less so. While using such gloves over the period of the last 18 months, I have cut C/L into half, from 700-800mg /d to 300-400mg, but not because of dyskinesia or other side effects, but just because I felt I no longer needed as much. Hope this helps.

[Fed1000 in reply to Ethin]

It really helps! It is an extraordinary fact. I honestly believe we are at a turning point. I wish you the best. Thank you very much.

[WinnieThePoo in reply to Fed1000]

FedWhen are you going to make yourself some gloves?

[Fed1000]

Hi Richard well met, how are you? I ask anyone about the effects of gloves. I still don't believe it, it seems like a miracle to me. After a project gone wrong (the world is full of wolves), I should have found the right people to make the blessed gloves. Let's hope so. I'll let you know. I wish you all the best and thank you so much.