Bioliberty secures £2.2m for soft robotic glove

The Edinburgh-based technology firm has created the ‘Lifeglov’, which offers rehabilitation for the closing and opening strength of the hand. According to Bioliberty, the glove monitors key metrics related to upper limb mobility and can show improvement as the patient progresses through their rehab.

The Lifeglov is accompanied by a Digital Therapy Platform which provides the patient with tailored exercises to help develop natural hand strength. For stroke survivors, the glove helps carry out rehabilitation from the home. For occupational therapists, the glove is a tool to help manage their patients remotely and improve patient outcomes.

This new funding will allow Bioliberty to complete development of the trial product and finalise the development of its platform. The funding is also anticipated to fund the business through obtaining FDA approval and early commercial engagement in the US with rehabilitation clinics.

In the US alone, there are over 800,000 strokes every year, with 88 per cent of patients left with upper limb weakness. There is also an urgent need for at-home occupational services, with demand for such services forecast to outpace the supply within all 50 states of the US by 2030.