Grasp Synergies in Activities of Daily Living: A Cross-sectional Study using a Multi-sensory Data Glove

Abstract

Human grasps involved in activities of daily living rely on the correlation of multiple degrees of freedom in a hand. This correlation is called grasp synergies and holds promise for efficient control of robotic hands including prostheses and exoskeletons. A number of studies involving human grasping experiments have been reported. However, the approach, lift and hold phases which are intricately linked to the hand grasp for activities of daily living have hardly been part of such studies. We report a human grasping study which includes the approach, lift and hold phases. Grasp synergies in the force and posture space are identified. We have observed distinct force patterns while manipulating different objects. Additionally, our analysis of correlation coefficients between the pair of fingers highlights the cooperative behaviour and synergy between fingers while grasping. Our study contributes valuable insights into finger correlations, and synergies in terms of grasp postures and forces.