Abstract:
The need for more practical, robust, and affordable prosthetic hands for amputees has led to significant advancements in their functionality. However, the challenge of de...Show MoreMetadata
Abstract:
The need for more practical, robust, and affordable prosthetic hands for amputees has led to significant advancements in their functionality. However, the challenge of designing prostheses that balance dexterity, functionality, and affordability still persists. The lack of prosthetic designs that can efficiently address the needs of amputees for both heavy manual labor and social interactions, while also being lightweight and dexterous, is still evident. This paper presents a design for an anthropomorphic, adaptive, lightweight, body-powered prosthetic hand built for performing Activities of Daily Living using a selectively lockable differential mechanism. The proposed differential mechanism allows the users to flex and lock the prosthesis’ fingers in a wide range of poses and grasps. The performance of the body-powered prosthesis is experimentally validated with three different types of experiments: i) object grasping, ii) total grasping strength, and iii) individual finger force exertion. The resultant prosthetic hand is lightweight and comfortable to wear and is adequately capable of grasping a wide range of objects, including items commonly used in cleaning and cooking applications where waterproofness is essential.
Published in: 2023 45th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC)
Date of Conference: 24-27 July 2023
Date Added to IEEE Xplore: 11 December 2023
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PubMed ID: 38083564