Independent Donning and Doffing Robotic Hand System: an Innovative Solution for Stroke Home-Rehabilitation

Stroke often results in spastic or clenched hands, which presents a considerable obstacle to the independent donning of robotic hand systems. To address these issues, we developed a novel robotic hand system comprising a Hand Setup Station and a Pneumatic Robotic Hand. The system was designed with the objective of facilitating efficient and independent donning and doffing. The Hand Setup Station incorporates a finger extension mechanism to safely extend clenched fingers during the process, ensuring secure and comfortable attachment. The user-friendly controls allow for precise adjustments tailored to individual needs. In a randomized evaluation involving five participants wearing a glove to simulate stroke-like hand rigidity, the system-assisted donning significantly reduced task completion time compared to manual donning (Manual $98.68 \pm 7.68$ sec vs. Proposed $68.89 \pm 7.33 \text{sec}, \mathrm{p}<0.05)$. Participants reported higher ratings for ease of use (Manual 4.4 vs. Proposed 2) and experienced lower pain levels (2.2 vs. 3.8) compared to the manual process, which was noted for its physical strain and inefficiency. These findings demonstrate the system's potential to enhance usability and accessibility for stroke rehabilitation, particularly in remote or home-based settings. Future work will focus on optimizing actuator positioning, personalized control, and compatibility with various robotic hand designs for broader application.