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DeXcellence: Bluetooth-Enabled Game Board Boosts Cerebral Palsy Therapy

Inspired by a low-tech pegboard for movement evaluation known as a Functional Dexterity Test (FTD), Rice University students have created the DeXcellence device to test the dexterity of cerebral palsy patients. At the heart of the platform is a small peg comfortable enough for a three-year-old to hold. The dexterity of patients is tracked through their ability to move the Bluetooth-enabled cylinder, which is packed with electronics, through a series of tasks on a game board. On one side of the board, patients must move the peg over a hurdle and center it on a target. Moving the peg over a path on the board's flip side enables therapists to gather valuable information about their patients' progress.