Fig. 10. Forces were obtained during hand a) grasping and b) pinching action.
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Abstract: In this paper, we present the design of a soft wearable exoskeleton that comprises of a glove embedded with pneumatic actuators of variable stiffness for hand assistive and rehabilitation application. The device is lightweight and easily wearable due to the usage of soft pneumatic actuators. A key feature of the device is the variable stiffness of the actuators at different localities that not only conform to the finger profile during actuation, but also provides customizability for different hand dimensions. The actuators can achieve different bending profiles with variable stiffness implemented at different localities. Therefore, the device is able to perform different hand therapy exercises such as full fist, straight fist, hook fist and table top. The device was characterized in terms of its range of motion and maximum force output. Experiments were conducted to examine the differences between active and passive actuation. The results showed that the device could achieve hand grasping and pinching with acceptable range of motion and force.
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Rehabilitation Assistive Technology Soft Robotics Related Papers Abstract: Hand paralysis can inhibit daily activities, for example, grasping a particular food or an object. With the advancement of science and technology today especially in wearable robot technology, normal hand function can be recovered with the help of wearable soft robotic glove. This robot has a mechanism that resembles the working mechanism of the hand itself. The purpose of this study is to develop a low-cost soft exoskeleton glove made from silicone rubber using a tendon-based mechanism. The molding of the soft glove is designed using SolidWorks CAD software. Dual-slack enabling actuators are designed and manufactured as the actuator system of the soft exoskeleton glove. The proposed actuator is used as flexion and extension motion for the human hand. This motion enables the soft exoskeleton glove to provide mechanical support for the human hand. A potentiometer sensor is used in the dual-slack enabling actuator for measuring the rotating angle of the actuator that is connected to the tendon and soft exoskeleton glove. The actuator is controlled using on-off and Proportional-Integral (PI) control. After the soft exoskeleton glove system is integrated, the soft robot is implemented on a healthy human hand to assist the grasping of various objects. The measurement for the wearable robot is performed by using serial communication between Arduino Nano microcontroller and the host computer. Based on the experimental results, the soft glove can successfully assist and support the user's hand for various object grasping.
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Abstract: During the last decade, soft robotic systems, such as actuators and grippers, have been employed in various commercial applications. Due to the need to integrate robotic mechanisms into devices operating alongside humans, soft robotic systems concentrate increased scientific interest in tasks with intense human–robot interaction, especially for human-exoskeleton applications. Human exoskeletons are usually utilized for assistance and rehabilitation of patients with mobility disabilities and neurological disorders. Towards this direction, a fully functional soft robotic hand exoskeleton system was designed and developed, utilizing innovative air-pressurized soft actuators fabricated via additive manufacturing technologies. The CE-certified system consists of a control glove that copies the motion from the healthy hand and passes the fingers configuration to the exoskeleton applied on the affected hand, which consists of a soft exoskeleton glove (SEG) controlled with the assistance of...
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Abstract: This paper presents preliminary results for the design, development and evaluation of a hand rehabilitation glove fabricated using soft robotic technology. Soft actuators comprised of elastomeric materials with integrated channels that function as pneumatic networks (PneuNets), are designed and geometrically analyzed to produce bending motions that can safely conform with the human finger motion. Bending curvature and force response of these actuators are investigated using geometrical analysis and a finite element model (FEM) prior to fabrication. The fabrication procedure of the chosen actuator is described followed by a series of experiments that mechanically characterize the actuators. The experimental data is compared to results obtained from FEM simulations showing good agreement. Finally, an open-palm glove design and the integration of the actuators to it are described, followed by a qualitative evaluation study. I. INTRODUCTION oss of the ability to move the fingers, whether partial or total, can greatly inhibit activities of daily living and can considerably reduce one's quality of life [1]. Physical therapy can be effective in regaining controlled hand movement for a variety of disabling conditions, such as physical injuries, diseases, overuse syndromes and neurological damages. Often rehabilitation for improving hand function requires the patient to perform repetitive task practice (RTP), which involves breaking a task down into individual movements and practicing these exercises to improve hand strength, accuracy, and range of motion [1], [2]. These methods, however, are labor intensive and costly due to the required long hours of training with a physical therapist [1]. A system where patients could carry out exercises on their own, either at home or in clinic, would make physical therapy more accessible and therefore would be beneficial for patients.
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