A Helping Hand: How the “APRO Glove” is Transforming Rehabilitation

05 February 2025

Recovering from an ischemic stroke is a journey marked by challenges, particularly when it comes to regaining the use of one’s arms and hands. For many survivors, muscle weakness and loss of coordination in the affected side of the body can severely hinder their ability to perform even basic self-care tasks. Rehabilitation guidelines emphasize the importance of regular exercise to restore hand function.

The Automated Portable Robotic Orthosis (APRO) Glove not only supports exercise but also evolves with the user’s progress, incorporating sensors to detect muscle activation and provide assistance as needed. This tool empowers users to regain independence, offering new hope for a better quality of life after a stroke.

The product functions as a jumpstart in the rehabilitation process, aiding in the initial stages of rehabilitation exercises. As an innovative technology in rehabilitation medicine, it enhances the rehabilitation experience while significantly improving outcomes during physical therapy sessions for patients and clinicians alike.

Grasping at the Future

The APRO Glove is not meant to be a replacement for rehabilitative exercises; instead, it is an assistive tool for those with an inability to do hand, finger, and wrist coordination, enabling them to participate in the early stages of rehabilitation. This technology can also be applied in grip augmentation for aging individuals suffering from a decrease in grip strength and for those having problems maintaining a sustained grip during everyday tasks.

Founder and Engineer Voltaire Dupo recounted his inspirations for the project and how he aims to improve the industry for locally-produced clinical technologies. He said that he hopes to pioneer an industry that services Filipino patients and improves patient outcomes at a reasonable price.

The engineering orientation in me says this is the way of life for engineers is to always try to improve items when doing jobs… The pragmatist in me just wants to field a product that can be useful in improving patient outcomes at a reasonable price [and] can start a whole new industry that exists to service Filipino patients and create jobs.

Voltaire Dupo, AGAPAY, On the goals of APRO Glove

The Science Behind the Solution

The APRO Glove is a meticulously-designed biomedical device that combines innovative manufacturing techniques and strategic component integration to aid stroke survivors in their rehabilitation journey. In its initial development phase, the project adopted a low-impact approach, utilizing additive manufacturing with PLA plastics for most of its structural components.

This method minimized the environmental footprint—reducing production impact by 20% to 35% compared to conventional methods—and ensured rapid prototyping and efficient design optimization. Approximately 80% of the glove's prototype is produced using 3D printing, while the remaining 20% comprises premanufactured electronics and actuators that provide the device's functional capabilities.

The APRO Glove is a modern clinical technology integration and a sustainable solution, as demonstrated by the use of IMPACT 99 parameters. The Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) revealed that the environmental impact of producing one prototype is comparable to manufacturing a mobile phone, emphasizing the project's sustainability goals. Although manufacturing standards are not yet finalized, the APRO Glove focuses on addressing healthcare inequities in regions like the Philippines, where access to rehabilitation clinics is limited and often financially burdensome.

Furthermore, the device is designed to enable robotic-assisted exercise that can be remotely monitored by professionals. The device has the potential to transform stroke rehabilitation by bringing affordable and effective care closer to underserved communities.

Beyond the Breakthrough: Challenges and Opportunities

Despite its current success, the project still faced several challenges, including difficulty obtaining clinical study insurance, limited testing facilities, and delays caused by the nCov-2019 outbreak. Despite these hurdles, the team overcame insurance issues through an agreement to hold funds for participant treatment and conducted in-house testing with internationally-certified equipment, ultimately redesigning the product to improve usability and deployment.

The goal of the APRO Glove is to create a product suitable for use in community health centers, hospitals, and homes. It addresses the unique needs of each market, from power requirements to risk mitigation for professional and personal use. By aligning with other initiatives, such as community-based rehabilitation through projects like TULAY at the Evelyn D. Ang Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Technologies, the APRO Glove seeks to create a more inclusive healthcare framework.

With continuous support from DOST—PCHRD and DOST—TAPI, the APRO glove successfully established linkages at the recently concluded CES 2025.

Dupo expressed his gratitude towards being allowed to exhibit their technology internationally, especially at the largest electronics exhibit in the world within one of the largest economies in the world. He added that he was glad he could not only showcase their innovation, but also their message and advocacy for a more equitable access to medical technology.

This device represents the hopes and dreams of its creators for a more equitable access to technology that costs lower than western counterparts. This is after all the main goal of EDA-IBEHT to provide access to medical technology made by Filipinos both in terms of cost standpoint and the support chain during the life of the device.

Voltaire Dupo, AGAPAY, On the advocacy of the APRO Glove

He said that the successful benchmarking at CES 2025 allows locally-developed projects to gain international exposure and potential linkages. Dupo added that these expositions are instrumental in identifying and resolving problem areas in a project. He expressed their eagerness to see more participation and similar opportunities.

** This article is part of the "PhilippiNOW: Philippines’ New Opportunities, Worldwide" campaign for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025. For more information and event updates, please visit the DOST-TAPI website at www.tapi.dost.gov.ph. For media inquiries, please contact Ms. Mirielle Vacal at +639567113145 or Mr. Heherson Valdez at +639064477735, or email them at ccu@tapi.dost.gov.ph