One of the most troubling symptoms of Parkinson's disease is a tremor in the palms and it’s also one of the first symptoms to appear. The uncontrollable tremors, of course, affect the day-to-day functioning of the patient and force them to abandon important tasks and even simple everyday actions.
The physical difficulty is usually accompanied by psychological difficulty and a desire to conceal the tremors, which usually embarrasses many people with the diseases. Because of the slow progress in finding a medicinal or surgical solution to Parkinson’s, researchers have turned to new horizons and have developed a groundbreaking innovation in the field, the ‘Emma Watch’. Inside this little accessory, there is hopeful news for Parkinson’s patients and its innovations are certainly arousing curiosity and appreciation...
The "Emma Watch" is actually a wristwatch that was developed following the idea that technology can be harnessed to improve human performance. The watch was revealed at the beginning of 2017 and immediately launched its gateway to fame. The solution designed by Microsoft's Innovation Research Department, run by Haiyan Zhang, is designed specifically for patients with this neurological disease and significantly reduces the hand tremors they suffer from.
The reception was dizzyingly positive and led many patients to be interested in the product. The secret behind the way the watch works is the use of small vibrating motors - similar to those in cell phones - whose function is to distract the brain from trying to control the body's limbs. The motors that make small wrist movements succeed in creating a short communication between the brain and the hand, and restraining the tremors resulting from the disease.
