Graphic Designer Emma Lawton would draw and write as a large part of her work and daily life, but after being diagnosed in 2012 with early-onset Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative brain disorder, using her hands for these tasks became more and more difficult. The tremors she experiences hinders any control of smooth or straight movements.
Lawton was introduced to Haiyan Zhang for the BBC’s The Big Life Fix, a television series that connects people facing huge challenges with designers and engineers. Zhang, inventor and Innovation Director at Microsoft Research Cambridge, spent months collaborating with Lawton. The result: A wristband that vibrates in a way that counteracts the tremor signals being send from Lawton’s brain to her hand. Watch the program promo above to see ‘the Emma Watch’ in action.
Next: A boy that 3D prints his prosthetic hand, The Kenguru Wheelchair-Accessible Electric Vehicle, and This Technology Wants to Make Wheelchairs Obsolete.A close-up of the #emmawatch that helps me write even though I have a #parkinsons tremor. Invented by @haiyan #biglifefix #bbc2 pic.twitter.com/e4j2Efgq9e
— Emma Lawton (@ems_lawton) December 7, 2016
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