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Development, design and validation of an assistive device for hand disabilities based on an innovative mechanism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2015

Roberto Conti ,
Benedetto Allotta ,
Enrico Meli  and
Alessandro Ridolfi
Roberto Conti*
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF), University of Florence Via di Santa Marta, 3 - 50139 Florence, Italy
Benedetto Allotta
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF), University of Florence Via di Santa Marta, 3 - 50139 Florence, Italy
Enrico Meli
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF), University of Florence Via di Santa Marta, 3 - 50139 Florence, Italy
Alessandro Ridolfi
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF), University of Florence Via di Santa Marta, 3 - 50139 Florence, Italy
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: roberto.conti@unifi.it
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Summary

In accordance with strict requirements of portability, cheapness, and modularity, an innovative assistive device for hand disabilities has been developed and validated. This robotic orthosis is designed to be a low-cost, portable hand exoskeleton to assist people with physical disabilities in their everyday lives. Referring to hand opening disabilities, the authors have developed a methodology which, by starting from the geometrical characteristics of the patient's hand, defines the novel kinematic mechanism that better fits to the finger trajectories. The authors have validated the proposed novel mechanism by carrying out a Hand Exoskeleton System (HES) prototype, based on a single-phalanx mechanism, cable driven. The testing phase of the real prototype with a patient is currently on going.

Keywords

Assistive roboticsHand exoskeletonHand disabilitiesWearable robotics
Type
Articles
Information
Robotica , Volume 35 , Issue 4 , April 2017 , pp. 892 - 906
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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