A bidirectional fabric-based soft robotic glove for hand function assistance in patients with chronic stroke

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Technology
• Robotics

Background:

• Chronic stroke often leads to persistent hand dysfunction, limiting independence in daily activities.
• Improvements in hand function diminish significantly after six months post-stroke, necessitating alternative support.
• Soft robotics offers lightweight, compliant assistive devices for individuals with motor impairments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a fabric-based soft robotic (SR) glove with bidirectional actuators.
• To assess the SR glove's ability to assist chronic stroke patients with hand impairments in performing activities of daily living (ADLs).

Main Methods:

• Characterized the SR Glove using force and torque measurements.
• Assessed efficacy with eight chronic stroke patients performing simulated ADL object manipulation tasks.
• Collected usability data via questionnaires on confidence and support reliance.

Main Results:

• The SR Glove significantly improved participants' object manipulation in ADL tasks compared to unassisted performance.
• Participants reported increased confidence and decreased reliance on support when using the SR Glove.
• Objective task performance showed significant improvements with the assistive device.

Conclusions:

• The fabric-based soft robotic glove is a viable assistive device for chronic stroke patients.
• The SR Glove effectively enhances hand function and supports independence in performing ADLs.
• This technology shows promise for improving the quality of life for stroke survivors.