Lithuanian technology may eliminate symptoms of the Parkinson’s disease

The Fidens company located at Kaunas Science and Technology Park in partnership with students is developing a device reducing hand tremors for people suffering from the Parkinson’s disease. The Lithuanian company, which is in the business of innovative solutions in health promotion systems, has been part of the DEMOLA Vilnius programme promoting entrepreneurship between students which helped set up a team called ShakeNoMore and turn the idea into a prototype.

Uses mechanical oscillations

According to Dr Mantas Venslauskas, the Head of Fidens, as part of the programme promoting entrepreneurship between students they successfully managed to construct a device which was able to reduce hand tremors by 20 per cent. “Now that the programme has ended, we continue improving the prototype and expect that at the end of the year the device will be able to reduce hand tremors even more up to 80 per cent. This will allow people to carry out daily tasks and take care of themselves independently”, – says Mr M. Venslauskas.

The technology of the prototype is based on external mechanical oscillations which are created in the opposite direction to hand tremors, thus reducing the shaking hands. A person becomes able to perform ordinary movements, eat, write and use a phone. It is planned that once on the market such a device can cost up to EUR 300.

Attracted talented students

The head of the company notes that across the world there is a lack of medical devices which would reduce hand tremors. The scarce few ones are prototypes still in their development stages with their own drawbacks. For instance, the Liftware spoons developed by the Americans only solve the issue of convenient eating. One English company is constructing a GyroGlove prototype which uses gyroscopes not only suppressing hand tremors, but also encumbering any movement in general. It can entail discomfort to the patient in a long term. What is more, it has been announced that this device can cost GBP 400-600 (around EUR 475-713). According to Dr M. Venslauskas, the device developed by Lithuanians will be cheaper, also smaller in size. Hence, it will not cause any inconvenience to a patient performing ordinary movements.

The ShakeNoMore team which is developing the medical device connects enthusiastic students of different disciplines. The prototype is being developed by students of media engineering, industrial design, biomedical electronics and electrical engineering. Neurologists from the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics share advice on medical issues.

Appreciates the experience

“As I am studying medical electronics, I contribute to the development of the prototype directly. I measure electrical signals, test them in a lab and code the equipment. Partnership with the company is beneficial in terms of mentoring because I meet expert developers of medical devices, learn from them and work together”, – notes  Andrius Romualdas Juknevičius, a student and one of the team members.

The head of Fidens company has been encouraged to make use of the options available on the programme, which fosters Scandinavian entrepreneurship experience, by the staff at Kaunas Science and Technology Park. Kaunas STP organized a meeting between representatives of the programme and companies. Programme developers selected the proposed technology and appointed a team of students for its implementation which later won the 1^st place at the eight season of the programme. Companies established at Kaunas Science and Technology Park have been taking part in the programme promoting entrepreneurship for the fourth season.