Upper extremity strength aids are devices developed to help people with arm muscle weakness. They come in two types, passive and active, and help users move their arms freely in a variety of situations. The device can be used in a variety of fields, including logistics workers and dentists, as well as the disabled and elderly, and has already been commercialized overseas, but is still under research in Korea.
A special device was made for a young girl overseas. Due to a rare disease, the young girl’s arm strength was significantly weakened and she was unable to move her arm at will. To solve this problem, a university abroad used a 3D printer to create a customized upper extremity strength aid for her. Thanks to this device, the girl is now able to perform daily activities that were previously unthinkable, and is thriving in kindergarten with her peers.
So what exactly are these upper extremity strength aids? First, upper extremity strength refers to the strength of the area between the shoulder and wrist, or simply put, the strength of the arm. It’s essential for lifting your arms, grasping objects, and performing various movements in everyday life. However, people with disabilities or the elderly who have weakened upper limb strength due to illness have great difficulty performing these basic movements. Upper extremity strength aids were developed to address this problem.
Upper-extremity strength aids are devices that support upper-extremity muscle strength to help users move their arms as intended. For example, they can compensate for weakened arm strength to help you perform daily activities, which can lead to a better quality of life. These upper-extremity strength aids are used in a variety of ways, such as attached to a wheelchair, fixed to a desk, or attached to the body. This allows the user to move their arm in the best way for the situation.
There are two main types of upper extremity strength aids: passive upper extremity strength aids and active upper extremity strength aids. Passive upper extremity strength aids are devices that primarily utilize springs or elastic bands to allow the user to move the arm in the intended direction. They are characterized by the fact that they don’t use any external power and work naturally with the user’s movements. Active upper extremity strength aids, on the other hand, use motors to move the arm instead of springs or elastic bands. Active devices use the power of the motor to allow for more precise maneuvers, and the position of the arm can be adjusted via a separate switch.
Upper extremity strength aids were initially developed for people with disabilities or the elderly, but they can be useful in many other areas. For example, for workers who frequently lift heavy objects in warehouses, they can help them work more efficiently and safely by taking the weight off their shoulders. Dentists can also use passive upper-extremity strength aids to help them work comfortably without straining their arms for long periods of time.
Overseas, these upper-extremity strength aids have been well researched and commercialized, and are now readily available for purchase over the internet. Especially in the United States and Europe, various companies have commercialized these devices and made them available to consumers. In Korea, on the other hand, research on upper limb strength aids has been ongoing at Seoul National University, Hanyang University, and Sogang University, but commercialization is still a long way off. This also reflects the lack of social interest and support for the disabled and the elderly in Korea. From this point of view, we should pay more attention and support to the elderly and disabled in our society from now on. Technologies such as upper limb strength aids should be more widely available so that more people can benefit from them.
Finally, the development and dissemination of upper extremity strength aids is more than just a technological advancement; it is an expression of care and concern for the vulnerable in society. It does not simply provide a technical solution, but plays an important social role in improving their quality of life and enabling them to live independently. We look forward to seeing these technologies evolve and help more people in the future.
