Assisting hand function after spinal cord injury with a fabric-based soft robotic glove

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Technology

Background:

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) severely impairs hand motor function, necessitating assistive devices.
• Soft robotics offers a novel approach to creating compliant, lightweight active assistive devices.
• Fabric-based soft robotic gloves represent a new class of human-robot interaction for hand function assistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the efficacy of a fabric-based soft robotic glove in assisting individuals with SCI.
• To evaluate the glove's impact on object manipulation and grip strength in daily living tasks.
• To validate the soft robotic glove as a rehabilitation tool for upper limb paralysis.

Main Methods:

• Nine participants with C4-C7 SCI were assessed using the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Hand Function Test.
• Object manipulation tasks and lift force measurements were recorded with and without the assistive glove.
• Statistical analysis included linear mixed models for object manipulation and Wilcoxon signed-rank test for lift force.

Main Results:

• The soft robotic glove significantly improved object manipulation scores across all participants and tasks.
• Assisted conditions showed a 33.42 ± 15.43% improvement in hand function relative to maximal test scores.
• Lift force measurements also increased when participants used the soft robotic glove.

Conclusions:

• The fabric-based soft robotic glove is a validated and effective assistive device for individuals with SCI.
• The glove enhances hand function, enabling better performance in activities of daily living.
• This technology shows promise for restoring hand dexterity and strength after upper limb paralysis.