ReVeal: An Automated Tactile Assessment Device

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and often causes chronic somatosensory loss. Reliable measurement of the sensory function is critical for the development of therapies to improve recovery post-stroke. In this study, we developed a tactile stimulation device to allow a simple and rapid assessment of digits and the hand’s tactile function. We measured the sensation of motion using the tactile stimulation device in a post-stroke participant with severe sensory loss and neurologically intact participants. We found that the tactile stimulation device could be useful to provide an assessment of tactile functionality in physical units over time in post-stroke patients. These findings indicate that this device represents a reliable system for longitudinal evaluation of the hand and digits post-stroke and may allow for further developments of somatosensory recovery.