Development of an Instrumented Glove for the Characterization of Human Wrist Tremor

Abstract

It is common for human beings to present some diseases and disorders as they age, due to neuromusculoskeletal disorders. One of the problems that can appear is the human tremor. There are numerous strategies for tremor attenuation. Among the most common methods, the use of medications, local surgical procedures, electrical stimulation and the use of active orthoses stand out. In this context, robotic rehabilitation is of interest to science more and more. Among the methods for inhibiting tremor, active orthoses are the most efficient and non-invasive means. With that in mind, and also in terms of their quality of life, studies on orthoses to suppress tremor were carried out. Due to the complexity of the device, the present study aims to develop and evaluate an instrumented glove, properly constructed to characterize human wrist tremor in patients affected with such dysfunction. To this end, the basic operating principle of the active orthosis is presented, seeking to highlight more specifically the instrumented glove with its motion and muscle actuation sensors.