A Smart Rehabilitation Glove Based on Shape-Memory Alloys for Stroke Recovery

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors,

The study presented holds significant relevance in the rehabilitation of individuals who have experienced a stroke and suffer from resulting impairments, particularly those affecting hand movements. However, the following comments are intended to enrich and enhance the quality of the content provided.

Comment 1: In the INTRODUCTION section, the authors address key topics related to the manuscript, such as the types of gloves currently available and materials exhibiting shape memory effects. However, more detail is needed regarding the phase transformations involved in these materials. Specifically, line 58 mentions only the reverse martensitic transformation. Providing a clearer explanation of the phases would help readers better understand the reference to the B2-to-B19’ transformation in line 231.

Comment 2: Also in the INTRODUCTION, the authors discuss various existing glove types and cite several bibliographic references. However, no patents are referenced, not even one previously filed by the authors themselves, which is only mentioned later in Section 6 (Patents). Including relevant patents would strengthen the technological foundation of the study.

Comment 3: In line 142, the authors state that, since most patients are elderly, the mobile application interface was designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. However, was the possibility considered that some elderly individuals may not have access to this type of technology?

Comment 4: Is the alloy used in the study commercially available, or is it an experimental alloy developed by the authors? This point is not clearly stated in the manuscript and should be clarified.

Comment 5: Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) typically involves the use of specific frequencies. Was any frequency applied in the analyses conducted, even at minimal levels? Additionally, both DMA and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) often include isothermal holds at certain temperatures to ensure complete phase transformation of the microstructure. Were such holds used in the DMA and DSC testing cycles? Please also specify the dimensions of the samples used in the DMA tests and the sample masses used in the DSC tests.

Comment 6: In line 181, the authors write: “The SMA wire was powered by a laboratory power supply, which generated Joule heating to increase the temperature of the SMA wire to its phase transformation temperature. This setup was employed to investigate the relationship between the strain of the SMA wire and the magnitude of the applied current, thereby obtaining the current-strain characteristic curve.” Please provide further experimental details, such as the maximum temperature reached (e.g., whether it reached Af = 46.5°C or exceeded this), the heating rate applied, and any other relevant test parameters.

Comment 7: In line 251, please explain why the transformation temperatures increase with increasing applied stress.

Comment 8: Please revise Figures 2, 3, and 4 for improved clarity and resolution, as some information is currently difficult to interpret. It may be necessary to separate the items in Figure 3 according to test types in order to make them more distinguishable and comprehensible.

Comment 9: Given that the distinctive aspect of the study is the use of a shape memory alloy, the authors are encouraged to compare the obtained results with those reported in the literature. No references are currently provided in the RESULTS AND DISCUSSION section to support such a comparison. Including relevant literature would reinforce the scientific rigor and contribution of the work.

Comment 10: The list of authors at the beginning of the manuscript includes: Yutong Xie, Songrhon Sun, Yiwen Liu, Fei Xiao, Weijie Li, Shukun Wu, Xiaorong Cai, Xifan Ding, and Xuejun Jin. However, in the author contributions section, Xiangjun Hu is mentioned, despite not being listed as a co-author and appearing only in the acknowledgments. It is suggested that Xiangjun Hu be formally included as a co-author, if appropriate, in accordance with standard authorship criteria.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article address an nice topic.  I have two major concerns

Do author compare the economic assessment of the device ? Whether its sustainable with the basic device  in the market?

Second do author study some useful research using some need patients in this direction?

Do this product has been used in medical?

 or is this as proposal?

 

 

 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

• The manuscript does not offer quantitative or side-by-side comparisons with existing motor-driven or pneumatic gloves.
• While the wire amplification mechanism is novel and described clearly, the mechanical durability and thermal safety concerns (especially under long cycles) are not critically analyzed.
• The app-based remote monitoring and mode switching are emphasized, yet the paper lacks software architecture details, latency information, and data privacy discussions.
• SMAs inherently suffer from thermal hysteresis, which affects control precision. The authors do not mention any control algorithms to address this issue. 
• Figures describing the glove's working (like Figure 1c, Figure 6) are too schematic and oversimplified. More engineering drawings would strengthen technical clarity.
• Several sections, particularly the mobile app description, are overly verbose and repetitive. A more technical and concise tone would improve professionalism.
• While the patent is noted, its novel claims are not explained. A summary of what the patent protects would be more informative.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The language is generally understandable but contains grammatical inconsistencies and awkward phrasing, particularly in the abstract and conclusion.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

It is ready to be published.