A 3D-Printed Hand Exoskeleton for Affordable and Accessible Upper Limb Rehabilitation

Traditional orthoses often face challenges in balancing functionality, adaptability, and cost, especially for pediatric users who require frequent adjustments. This study presents the design, fabrication, and analysis of a novel 3D-printed finger orthosis aimed at providing affordable and accessible rehabilitation. To address these issues, a compliant mechanism design is introduced, leveraging the flexibility and adaptability of 3D-printed structures. The finger orthosis can be printed in one piece without support material using common 3D printers, ensuring low-cost manufacturing. The compliant design, featuring a repeating sinusoidal pattern, allows the orthosis to bend naturally with the finger while providing force assistance in both the flexion and extension directions. Finite element modeling was employed to simulate the mechanical properties of the finger orthosis to optimize key design parameters, such as thickness, width, and pattern spacing. The parametric study explored the effects of these parameters on the stiffness of the device, ensuring proper actuator sizing for user-specific applications. This research demonstrates the potential of 3D printing and compliant mechanisms to create low-cost, customizable orthotic devices, with the long-term goal of improving accessibility and rehabilitation outcomes.