A force augmenting exoskeleton for the human hand designed for pinching and grasping

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Technology
• Human-Machine Interface

Background:

• Millions of Americans experience hand injuries or disorders, leading to reduced grip strength and object manipulation difficulties.
• Existing assistive devices often lack comprehensive, multi-digit support for hand function.
• The need for advanced solutions to restore or augment hand capabilities is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a novel five-digit hand exoskeleton.
• To assess the exoskeleton's ability to augment grasping and pinching efforts.
• To quantify the impact of the exoskeleton on user muscle activity.

Main Methods:

• Computer-aided design (CAD) and 3D printing (ABS plastic) for exoskeleton structure.
• Laser-cut acrylic for housing electronic components (control system, motors, batteries).
• Force sensing resistors (FSRs) to monitor user effort, coupled with a microcomputer control system and linear actuators.

Main Results:

• The exoskeleton was tested on six healthy individuals.
• Significant reduction in muscle activity was observed during grasping efforts (p < 0.001).
• No significant benefit was found for pinching efforts.

Conclusions:

• A novel five-digit hand exoskeleton was successfully designed and fabricated.
• The device demonstrated significant efficacy in augmenting grasping actions.
• Further development may be needed to optimize performance for pinching tasks.