Can a robotic glove restore hand function after stroke or injury?

NCT ID NCT07739264

Disease control Sponsor: Bangladesh Medical University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jul 31, 2026 · Last updated Sep 11, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot trial asks whether adding a robotic hand-training device to standard rehabilitation is safe, practical, and helpful for people with arm and hand motor problems caused by stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or orthopedic conditions. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either standard rehab alone or standard rehab plus three weekly sessions of robotic hand training for 12 weeks. Researchers will compare changes in muscle strength, grip, range of motion, and daily function, while also monitoring for any device-related side effects.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: ZEPU-SG1PLUS Hand Functional Comprehensive Training System, a non-powered robotic device for hand and upper limb training
What this could lead to: If effective, this robotic training device could become a practical addition to rehabilitation programs, helping people regain more arm and hand function after stroke, spinal cord injury, or brain injury.
What could go wrong: This is a small pilot study, so results may not apply broadly. The device could cause side effects like skin irritation or joint pain, and it may not prove more helpful than standard rehab alone.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 36 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jul 2026

Expected to finish

Nov 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 60 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Presence of upper-limb motor dysfunction, with or without concurrent lower-limb impairment, due to one of the following conditions: (a) stroke, with onset between 2 and 24 months prior to enrollment; (b) incomplete spinal cord injury (neurological level C5 and below), classified as ASIA Impairment Scale C or D; (c) traumatic brain injury with persistent upper-limb functional limitation; or (d) orthopedic or post-surgical conditions involving the shoulder, elbow, wrist, or hand with persistent functional impairment for \> 3 months * Age between 18 and 60 years, inclusive * Ability to understand study procedures and follow instructions, and to provide written informed consent (or assent with guardian consent where applicable) * Body weight and limb anthropometry compatible with the ZEPU-SG1PLUS Hand Functional Comprehensive Training System per manufacturer specifications * Medically stable and cleared by a physician for robotic rehabilitation, with no active infection, uncontrolled cardiac or respiratory disease, severe osteoporosis, uncontrolled epilepsy, or untreated deep vein thrombosis Exclusion Criteria: * Complete spinal cord injury or profound motor paralysis preventing safe interaction with robotic devices * Severe cognitive impairment, defined as a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score \< 24, that would compromise safe participation * Severe spasticity of the upper limb, defined as a Modified Ashworth Scale score \> 3 * Unstable fractures, severe fixed joint contractures of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, or hand (e.g., \> 30°), or severe pain limiting safe robotic training * Uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia, presence of a pacemaker, or other implanted electronic medical device incompatible with robotic sensors * Pregnancy

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Brain Injuries, Traumatic spinal cord injury stroke disorder traumatic brain injury

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Incomplete spinal cord injury Stroke Traumatic brain injury Upper limb motor dysfunction Upper limb orthopedic trauma

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
The official record

ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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A doctor treating you

A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Can a robotic glove restore hand function after stroke or injury?

What the study statuses mean