Baldur Medical Launches the iOpen Series Robotic Hand for Stroke Rehabilitation

Evidence-Based Hand Rehabilitation Solutions for Every Stage of Recovery — Designed for Home Use

 

According to Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare, more than 30,000 new stroke cases are recorded annually in the country, and nearly 70% of survivors experience varying degrees of upper limb dysfunction. The loss of hand grip function is one of the most critical factors affecting daily quality of life. Traditional hand rehabilitation depends heavily on therapist-assisted sessions, limiting the number of practice repetitions patients receive each day — far below what research recommends for meaningful recovery.

Founded in Tainan, Baldur Medical is dedicated to developing innovative, evidence-based assistive devices that strengthen therapists' clinical strategies while giving patients the tools they need to train independently — living healthier, happier, and more independent lives.

 

▌ Understanding Post-Stroke Hand Impairment

A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked or a blood vessel ruptures, causing brain cell damage that disrupts motor control. Because each hemisphere of the brain controls the opposite side of the body, stroke survivors typically experience weakness or paralysis on one side — most notably in the arm and hand — profoundly impacting their ability to perform everyday tasks.

1. The Three Stages of Post-Stroke Hand Recovery

Phase 1: Flaccid Stage	Phase 2: Spastic Stage	Phase 3: Recovery Stage
Days to weeks post-stroke: the affected limb is completely weak or has only minimal movement, with low muscle tone (hypotonia).	As the nervous system reorganizes, muscle tone increases. The hand begins to spasm or involuntarily clench; fingers become difficult to open actively.	Tone stabilizes and the patient regains some voluntary movement — practicing grasping, releasing, and fine motor tasks becomes possible.
Recommendation: Begin positioning training early to prevent contracture.	Recommendation: Maintain daily stretching to reduce contracture risk.	Recommendation: Increase functional grasping exercises integrated into daily activities.

2. Common Hand Impairments After Stroke

Muscle Weakness / Loss of Grip Damage to the brain's motor pathways prevents normal signals from reaching the hand muscles, resulting in an inability to make a fist or lift the hand. Most common during the acute phase of stroke.

Spasticity (High Muscle Tone) Disruption of neural inhibition pathways causes muscles to contract continuously. Fingers involuntarily clench into a fist and resist passive opening. Prolonged spasticity can lead to permanent contracture deformity.

Finger Contracture Sustained spasticity or lack of movement causes joint soft tissues to shorten, gradually locking the fingers in a flexed position. Without timely intervention, permanent deformity may develop, significantly limiting rehabilitation outcomes.

Sensory Impairment  In addition to motor deficits, many patients experience numbness, tingling, or a complete loss of sensation in the hand, further complicating movement control and rehabilitation progress.

Coordination Deficits  Even as muscle strength partially returns, incomplete neural circuit reorganization may prevent patients from executing fine motor tasks such as buttoning a shirt or using chopsticks.

3. Why Volume Matters — The Key to Neuroplasticity

The brain possesses "neuroplasticity" — the ability to reorganize and build new neural pathways through repeated practice. Research consistently shows that hand function recovery is directly correlated with the volume of daily training: the more repetitions and the earlier training begins, the greater the likelihood of meaningful recovery. However, conventional therapy rarely provides enough daily repetitions, and once patients leave the clinic, they often lack effective tools to continue training at home. This gap is a leading cause of stalled recovery.

The iOpen Stroke Robotic Hand Series was designed specifically to bridge this gap — enabling patients to accumulate sufficient training volume at home and maximize their rehabilitation outcomes.

 

▌ iOpen Stroke Robotic Hand

The iOpen Stroke Robotic Hand Series is a line of medical devices designed exclusively for hand rehabilitation. After training, patients can operate each device single-handedly. The series is segmented by symptom severity and recovery stage to deliver the most effective intervention at every step of the journey.

 

iOpenResting Flaccid Stage

Designed for patients with weak grip and low muscle tone (hypotonia) in the flaccid stage. Combines static positioning with dynamic grasping training in a single device — helping patients begin meaningful hand therapy from the earliest phase of recovery and seize the critical rehabilitation window.

 

iOpenStretch High Spasticity

Engineered for patients with muscle spasticity and high muscle tone, providing comfortable and sustained dynamic stretching to reduce contracture risk. Not limited by location, iOpenStretch is recommended for 3–8 hours of daily wear, with a 10–15 minute break every two hours.

 

iOpenDynamicMini Home Training

The lightest and most flexible device in the iOpen Series, suited for patients with mild tone who can lightly grip and release. Its compact design supports single-handed donning and doffing without caregiver assistance, and allows independent training for each finger — the ideal companion for at-home practice after clinic hours.

 

 

▌ Key Product Features

• Full-Spectrum Coverage: From the acute flaccid stage through late-stage functional recovery, the iOpen Series provides the right device for every phase, ensuring patients always have the best tool for their current condition.
• Independent Home Rehabilitation: Every device is engineered for single-handed operation, enabling patients to train without relying on a caregiver.
• Evidence-Based Design: All products are developed in alignment with rehabilitation medicine research, supporting neuroplasticity-based training principles and reinforcing therapists' clinical strategies.
• Assessment Before Purchase: Baldur insists on a professional occupational therapist evaluation before any purchase — ensuring every customer receives the device best suited to their unique needs, rather than purchasing blindly.
• Product Warranty: All devices are covered under Baldur's warranty. Any malfunction occurring under normal use within the warranty period is repaired at no cost to the customer (warranty covers the device body only; consumables and accessories are excluded).

 

▌ Customer Testimonials

“I'm very happy and have been using it consistently. Now my fingers can make some small movements — I can hold a water bottle to drink and even hold a spoon. They're no longer just decorative.”

— Mr. Guo, iOpenDynamicMini User

“After wearing it, my affected hand can assist the unaffected hand in simple actions — like holding or moving objects. Other orthotics couldn't do this. It's a significant improvement over before. I'm truly grateful to Baldur!”

— Mr. Zhao, iOpenStretch User

 

▌ About Baldur Medical

Baldur medical Device is headquartered in Xinshi District, Tainan City, Taiwan. As a leading brand in medical rehabilitation device development and distribution, Baldur is guided by the principle of "evidence-based innovation, patient-first design." Its product line spans upper extremity orthoses, lower extremity orthoses, and daily living aids.

 

 

Contact

Company:      REHAB MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Address:        5-56, Guanghua St., Xinshi Dist., Tainan City 744003, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

Phone:           +886-6-589-9061 / +886-6-589-9060

Email:             sales@baldur.com.tw

Website:        https://www.baldur.tw/en/

WhatsApp:   https://wa.me/qr/FYLADZP2CCUPI1

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 09:00–12:00 / 13:00–17:00 (National holidays excluded)