TAIPEI, Taiwan — The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan’s largest and one of the world’s leading high-tech applied research institutions, received 4 “2015 R&D 100 Awards” this year in Las Vegas on November 13. One of which is the Higher Sensitivity Tactile-film System for Wearable Orthosis (HSTS) that is an ideal solution for those who suffer from essential tremor and a tripartite cooperation with the Waseda University and Kikuchi from Japan.
The HSTS is a thin film sensor technology, interprets the wearer’s movements through physical contact between a wearable orthosis device and the wearer’s skin. “HSTS allows people with essential tremor to voluntarily control their movements, significantly improving their quality of life.” said Chen Chang-yi, Specialist at Robotics System Integration Dept. of ITRI.
Finding ways to assist those who suffer from essential tremor is a must, because there are 3.7 percent of the US population have this syndrome that typically occurs while eating, drinking, writing, typing, brushing teeth or performing another movement-oriented activity.
Chen Chang-yi pointed out, “In the past, assistive device is usually electromechanical. Each may cost $1,000 dollars. However, with this 90 sensors embedded and the HSTS solution, the cost is merely $150 for each device.”
Nevertheless, Chen Chang-yi stated that comparing with the electromechanical assist device, the HSTS ones can reduce disturbance sensitivity by up to 50 percent. “HSTS is an improvement upon the current auxiliary wearable device technologies.”
“To keep on winning on a regular basis every year just shows the dedication ITRI has to promoting technology and innovation. It’s just encouraging for everybody to see that ITRI is continuing that sort of dedication, investment in R&D, and creativeness,” said Tim Studt, Editorial Director of R&D Magazine. “ITRI has the strength in covering a wide range of industrial technologies and trying to make products that are commercially available,” he added.
“ITRI’s focus on value-added systems with intelligence drives our ability to offer innovative technology solutions across different market segments,” said Liu C.T., Executive Vice President of ITRI and group leader of ITRI’s R&D 100 Awards representatives.
