On December 13, 2022, The Today Show aired an amazing story about Dr. Tass's Stanford Gloves for the treatment of Parkinsons. The gloves worked to relieve many of the symptoms of PD through stimulating the brain non-invasively with gentle vibrational pulses administered in a special pattern to the wearer's fingertips. The story immediately created great excitement and hope for people with Parkinsons and their supporters everywhere.
Given that the availability of Dr. Tass's treatment was projected to be some years into the future, engineers with PD and their supporters around the world began intense local DIY efforts to replicate the Stanford Gloves based on the specifications provided in Dr. Tass's numerous research papers. These DIY developers shared ideas and designs on the web through various PD forums, websites, and YouTube posts.
is an effort by two of the many developers involved in the DIY PD glove movement to:
1. Suggest a set of standard criteria for reviewing DIY designs.
2. Begin a collection of DIY designs by presenting a few reviews of different types of DIY designs that are currently available.
3. Demonstrate how the vibrational performance of DIY gloves can be bench tested and compared.
4. Suggest a standard format for providing user feedback and provide some initial reviews from vibrating PD glove users.
In presenting this document, we are not advocating for any particular glove design. Likewise, we are not advocating for people with Parrkinsons to use DIY glove therapy. The informed choices of whether to proceed with a DIY glove, and if so what design to choose, should be made by each individual in consideration of their personal circumstances and disposition, and only after consultation with their doctors. This is particularly true for people who have DBS or pacemakers and have to consider special precautions around all electronics.
Please read the disclaimers in this document.
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TactileDesign
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Synergic just got this from the FDA and I believe they still have the trial going at OHSU however I think there is a requirement to be on medication to be in the trial. Not sure if it is required to be on medication for the trial they were doing in Eugene. I think that Peter Tass decided to break ties with them and had become affiliated with another organization that could help with refinement of the original glove design. Synergic is located in Eugene, OR and I do wonder why we are not hearing more on the Stanford glove studies.
"Synergic Medical Technologies received a Breakthrough Device Designation from the FDA for its VT Touch vibrotactile stimulation glove to treat Parkinson's disease. The FDA has not yet cleared the gloves for use.
Explanation
The VT Touch glove is intended to treat pathological beta oscillations in Parkinson's disease.
Synergic Medical Technologies is working with a university medical center to conduct a clinical trial to test the glove's effectiveness.
The FDA may establish special controls for the gloves, such as labeling and performance testing requirements.
The FDA's 510(k) premarket process may be used to obtain clearance for subsequent devices of the same type. "
I am on the email list for Synergic and it appears that they have been able to get some level of FDA approval. Synergic was working with Peter Tass until he decided to do some modifications on the gloves. They were the ones who were making the original design of the gloves. They have been doing a clinical trial with the gloves at OHSU in Portland, Oregon, USA and Synergic is located in Eugene, Oregon.
"2024 was a great year for Synergic as we made significant progress in bringing the VT Touch closer to market. With our breakthrough device designation from the FDA, announced in early 2023, we’ve continued to pursue our mission to enhance the quality of life for those living with Parkinson's disease.
Clinical Trials Update
Our pivotal clinical trial is progressing well, and we are still enrolling participants who live in the Portland, Oregon area. Improvements in quality of life and independence observed in our longitudinal trial have shown promising results we expect to see repeated in this study.
Advancements in Vibrotactile Therapy
Synergic presented our work on Coordinated Reset Vibrotactile Therapy for the Treatment of Bradykinesia in Parkinson’s Disease Patients at the prestigious Movement Disorder Conference in Philadelphia. The study demonstrated significant improvements in motor symptoms, particularly bradykinesia, with this innovative therapy. These findings underline the potential of CR Vibrotactile Therapy as a transformative, non-invasive treatment option for Parkinson’s disease.
The Role of Exercise and Support
While our technology continues to progress, we emphasize the importance of regular exercise and participation in support groups. Both have been shown to positively impact the progression of Parkinson’s symptoms and enhance overall well-being.
Stay tuned for updates and thank you for being part of our journey to improve the lives of people with Parkinson’s."
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