Summer 2026 Research Spotlight: Nathaniel Pierre-Louis ’28 Develops Smart Rehabilitation Glove

For people recovering from hand injuries or surgeries, regaining mobility can require months of challenging rehabilitation exercises. Nathaniel Pierre-Louis '28, a mechanical engineering student at the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering at Loyola Marymount University, spent six weeks this summer helping design and prototype a smart glove aimed at improving hand rehabilitation for patients.

Led by Xiangyi Cheng, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, the project is part of Seaver College's signature summer research program, which pairs undergraduate students with faculty mentors for an immersive, hands-on research experience during the summer semester.

Pierre-Louis joined a team of Seaver students working to develop a rehabilitation glove designed to mirror the movements of a patient's healthy hand onto the hand recovering from injury, supporting a more personalized rehabilitation experience. The proposed design includes an embedded wireless communication module that receives motion data from the WEART TouchDIVER Pro glove, a device that tracks finger and palm movements in real-time. Using sensors and actuators, the rehabilitation glove can replicate those movements, guiding the affected hand through the same motions.

"The goal of this research is to create two gloves that a patient could use both in and outside of a medical facility to help rehabilitate their hand," Pierre-Louis said. "We were trying to determine the most effective ways to 3-D print components and identify which types of electrical sensors would work best."

This summer, the research team focused on refining an earlier prototype by making it less bulky and more comfortable to wear while maintaining its grasping functionality. The team also continued development of the wireless communication system needed to receive movement data from the companion glove.

Pierre-Louis's responsibilities centered on designing and fabricating components for the prototype. Using Onshape, a computer-aided design (CAD) platform, he helped develop parts for the hand plate and produced physical components using 3-D printing technology. He also collaborated with fellow students on assembling the prototype.

"The most fascinating thing I learned was how to use Onshape," Pierre-Louis said. "I believe it will help me throughout my time at LMU to know as many CAD programs as possible."

Working alongside Professor Cheng and fellow student researchers, Pierre-Louis contributed to every stage of the engineering design process - from brainstorming solutions and refining prototypes to testing and fabrication. Through the experience, he gained valuable technical skills and learned how collaborative research teams solve complex engineering challenges.

Beyond the technical experience, spending the summer conducting full-time research also helped Pierre-Louis build strong connections within the Seaver community.

"My most fond memories from the summer were learning more about my colleagues while waiting for our parts to 3-D print," Pierre-Louis said.