The present invention concerns movement facilitation devices for
facilitating movement between a first portion of a first object and a
second portion of the first object. One or more of the movement
facilitation devices may be combined to form a movement device for
facilitating movement of at least one joint or limb of a patient's body.
One form of a movement device according to the invention is a glove which
at least partially encloses the joint or limb. The invention also
encompasses systems for applying Continuous Passive Motion therapy to a
joint or limb of a patient using the devices of the invention. The
invention also encompasses the use of shape memory materials and of
conducting polymers in the devices and systems of the invention, as well
as the design of force transducers and actuators that may be used in the
devices.