Rapid prototyping prosthetic hand acting by a low-cost shape-memory-alloy actuator

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Prosthetic hand development faces challenges in cost, modularity, and functionality.
• Existing designs often lack adaptability and are expensive to manufacture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-cost, modular, and operative prosthetic hand.
• To integrate a novel shape-memory-alloy (SMA) actuator for enhanced functionality.
• To leverage rapid prototyping for efficient manufacturing.

Main Methods:

• Design of an underactuated prosthetic hand mechanism.
• Incorporation of an external shape-memory-alloy (SMA) actuator for finger movement.
• Utilizing rapid prototyping (additive manufacturing) for prosthesis construction.

Main Results:

• Successful development of a modular and functional low-cost prosthetic hand.
• Demonstration of a novel SMA actuator enabling index finger movement.
• Achieved a cost-effective solution through additive manufacturing and SMA integration.

Conclusions:

• The developed prosthetic hand concept is modular, operative, and low-cost.
• The novel SMA actuator facilitates adaptability and integration into various systems.
• This approach effectively combines rapid prototyping and SMA technology for advanced prosthetics.