Vilim Ball Panel Review

The VILIM Ball is the first product by VILIMED, a medical technology startup company based in Lithuania.

The hand-held device is designed to help reduce hand tremors in people with

essential tremor and Parkinson’s by stimulating their nerves. The ball claims to use artificial intelligence to customise the vibration to your needs

The idea for the VILIM Ball came from CEO Mantas Venslauskas’ PhD thesis on

treating rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes with mechanical stimulation. In 2017, they conducted research in cooperation with the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. They were testing vibration technologies with a wide spectrum of patients, some of whom were experiencing hand tremors. The researchers found that the device appeared to reduce symptoms for those with hand tremors. Since then, the VILIMED team have done some research on mechanical nerve stimulation and shifted their focus to helping people with hand tremors.

Mantas Venslauskas, co-founder and CEO of VILIMED told the Tech Guide: “Although the company has won many awards… the greatest motivation and pride comes from receiving positive feedback from customers. This is our biggest driving force behind the company’s growth and development.

“This is why the VILIM ball is constantly being developed and improved. We hope one day to offer a solution to reduce hand tremors that work[s] for everyone.”

Other than an initial charge, the VILIM Ball does not require any setting up before it’s used. All reviewers found the device “easy” to charge.

The majority of the review panel described the instructions as “fairly clear”. However, they also noted that the instructions were “very difficult” to read because of the very small font size. (They’re printed on the product packaging.)

While the set-up process was straightforward for most, 1 reviewer said they were left with lots of questions that they could not easily find answers for.

“It was unclear what to do with it or how it actually worked. I wanted to know more about what the ball actually did, how it works and how you can get the most out of it.

“There were minimal details about how to hold it and how often to use it in the instructions. I later tracked down more info on the website which had more technical info on how it worked.”

The Ball is said to analyse tremors and then adapt to each user. To allow this adaptation to happen, the company advises using the ball for at least 14 days.

To use the device, you hold the ball firmly, squeezing it with your fingers to make maximum contact with the ball.

Most of the review panel had no issues using the ball. However, the same reviewer as above found that, on some occasions, holding the vibrating ball seemed to “exacerbate” their tremor.

“This was just tiring at times and quite intrusive so I stopped that session early and picked it up again later,” they said.

Daily integration

VILIMED recommends using the ball for 10 minutes on each hand, 3 times a day, at intervals of 4 hours.

A reviewer who already uses adaptive technologies like an ergonomic mouse and keyboard, voice recognition software and pen grippers to help them work found it difficult to integrate the VILIM Ball therapy into their daily life.

“It sounds so simple: 10 mins each hand at 4 hour intervals. But this is quite a commitment.”

This reviewer started using the product over the Holidays while off work and said that “in normal daily life I could not sustain sitting down so often. I certainly wouldn’t be able to integrate that usage level into a working day.”

“It’s a time investment to use it consistently. This is as well as all the other things we are encouraged to do such as exercises, stretches and timing of our food around medication. It’s another factor to build into everyday life.”

This sentiment was shared by another reviewer in their 60s. “I currently have a fairly active life,” they said.

“Some thought had to be given as to how best to integrate this into my lifestyle. Though, when away from home the device is quite portable, which is beneficial.”

Other reviewers found it easier to incorporate the device into their daily activities.

“It’s small enough to take with you and use on the move,” said a reviewer who describes their tremor as severe. “I mostly used it while at home during the day and evenings when at home.”

Tremor analysis

The white device contains sensors that monitor your tremor level and claims to personalise the therapy it provides. Two reviewers were intrigued by this feature and wanted to know more about it.

“It claims to analyse your tremor and adjusts accordingly. I would like to see at least some information on what it learns and get feedback on these adjustments. Otherwise it is just a vibrating ball,” said a 59-year-old reviewer.

Helping with tremor

The 6 reviewers all live with hand tremor, ranging from mild to severe. Some reviewers reported that hobbies like woodwork, gardening and playing instruments have been affected by their tremor. Some commented on how it impacts their work activities like typing and writing.

Half the review panel saw no change to their tremor at all. A reviewer who has always enjoyed DIY but now struggles to use handheld tools, told the Tech Guide: “My tremor is the same as it has always been. It’s a good idea but it didn’t work for me. Maybe it will work for others.”

Another reviewer with a severe tremor, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 3 years ago, described the experience as an “unequivocal success.”

Their tremor had been heavily impacting on their sleep. After speaking to VILIMED customer service, the reviewer decided to amend their therapy plan from 3 times a day to 4 times a day, with the last session starting shortly before bedtime.

“Prior to using the Vilim Ball my tremor was a factor in preventing me from getting to sleep at night,” the reviewer explained. "Using the Vilim Ball at bed time, my tremor is now almost non-apparent which is a major positive result. Overall I believe the Vilim Ball has improved my tremor by 40% to 50%.

“My biggest hope when setting out to use the Vilim Ball was to see if it would help with my tremor at bedtime. To this end, it has been an unequivocal success.”

There were 2 other reviewers who noticed changes to their tremor but the changes were described as “minimal” and “disappointing”.

“It can help ease the tremor for a little. But it’s a lot of time invested to use the device and I would have liked to see more obvious and consistent tremor reduction.”

A reviewer who said their tremor mostly affects their typing said: “I’m disappointed. I could type okay for 1-2 minutes only immediately after use. I’d hoped for longer.”

At the time of the review, the VILIM Ball was priced at £294. However, the price varies slightly due to exchange rates and it now costs around £240. The company does offer a 30-day money back guarantee, with a full refund available to any customers who don’t find any benefit from the product.

All the reviewers on the panel felt the device was too expensive.

“Not worth the price,” said a 51-year-old reviewer. Another added: “It’s over priced, it seems just like a round vibrating ball.”

A reviewer who finds typing a writing challenging with their tremor said: “I can’t say that the impact for me personally would justify this price. It is an expensive investment.”

Even for the reviewer who said their tremor and sleep had greatly improved by the VILIM Ball, the price of the device was an issue. They said: “At this price, I would hesitate before making a recommendation. This price point is disappointing as it would be out of reach for many people with Parkinson’s.”