Force assisted hand and finger device for rehabilitation

Abstract

To date, the development of robotic systems for hand assistance and rehabilitation purposes, particularly related to stroke patients has gained wide interest. Evidence shows that robotic treatment could positively influence hand recovery. Nevertheless, there is no single established treatment strategy or protocol. This paper for the first time attempts to design and assess a novel wearable multiphalanges device for hand and finger rehabilitation assisting acute paralysed stroke survivors. A prototype of a Pneumatic Actuated Finger Exoskeleton (PAFEx) has been developed. The design of the device is proposed after analysing four existing main working mechanisms, i.e. Pneumatic Cylinders, Artificial Rubber Muscles, Linkage Mechanism and Cable-Driven Mechanism. The main design considerations for the home-based device focus on the ease of use and affordability. The device focused on assist the MP joint and PIP joint of thumb and index finger. For that reason, the angular displacement relationship between MP joint and PIP joint is estimated. The current findings show that the device has great potential for individualised rehabilitation session for patients who require rehabilitation in the context of their own home. Nevertheless, further investigation and experiments involving the Pneumatic Actuated Finger Exoskeleton (PAFEx) are currently in progress and the results will be reported imminently.