The story…

Wearable tech aids stroke patients

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Health

Need-to-know language

Need-to-know language

vital signs – measurements that indicate the state of the patient's body

monitor (their) progress – assess patients' health over time

speed (her) recovery – make (her) health improve more quickly

medical team – group of medical professionals

heart rate – speed at which the heart beats

Answer this…
What was the challenge for the scientists when creating the device which monitors the patient's recovery?

Transcript

Technology you can wear. Skin displays developed by Japanese researchers that show your vital signs. It's to put on patients, so that doctors can monitor their progress.

The displays are among a new wave of wearable electronics finding medical applications.

In the US, Lizzy McAninch had a stroke two years ago. She couldn't move or speak or swallow for several weeks. Lizzy is testing out wearable sensors that might speed her recovery.

They send information wirelessly to the medical team. The doctors here can continuously monitor Lizzy, wherever she goes using these devices. They can follow her muscle activity, her heart rate, even her speech - track whether she's showing signs of improvement.

Kristen Hohl, Physiotherapist
Do we see that they're walking more at home or do we see that they’re engaging in conversations? Those are the types of things I can get feedback from the sensors, where currently I only have their report.

The challenge for the scientists was to pack a lot of electronics into a small flexible material.

Professor John Rogers, Northwestern University (Chicago, US)
It’s almost mechanically sort of imperceptible to the patient who's wearing the device. And you can embed all sorts of advanced sensor functionality, microprocessor, computing capability, radios, power supplies, into this very unusual platform, and that's the uniqueness of what we do.

By the end of this year, the team will have more information than anyone has ever had before about recovery from stroke. They believe that their study could transform the way patients are treated in the future.

Did you get it?

What was the challenge for the scientists when creating the device to know about the patient's recovery?

The answer:

The challenge was to pack a lot of electronics into a small flexible material.

Did you know?

The best way to help prevent a stroke is to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking and drinking too much alcohol, according to the UK National Health Service.