Design considerations of Peltier-Integrated Therapeutic Wrist Wrap for Medical Applications

Muscle soreness, joint injuries, and chronic joint conditions are prevalent, often hindering daily activities due to debilitating pain. While numerous thermal-based devices exist for pain management, user control and combined cooling and heating capabilities are commonly lacking. This research introduces an Integrated Therapeutic Wrap, utilizing the Peltier effect to deliver both cooling and heating treatments for injured and chronically affected joints, such as the wrist. Proposed design allows switching between cooling and heating mode, comprising of multi-layered arrangement to optimize heat transfer, storage, and insulation. The design's thermal management and the thermal characteristics of the Peltier elements and their configurations are examined. Strategies for Peltier device-based temperature regulation and a thermal management technique are developed to enhance the wrap's cooling efficiency. Thermal imaging confirms the system's effectiveness in providing both cooling and heating therapy.