Grasp Force Assistance via Throttle-based Wrist Angle Control on a Robotic Hand Orthosis for C6-C7 Spinal Cord Injury

Individuals with hand paralysis resulting from C6-C7 spinal cord injuries frequently rely on tenodesis for grasping. However, tenodesis generates limited grasping force and demands constant exertion to maintain a grasp, leading to fatigue and sometimes pain. We introduce the MyHand-SCI, a wearable r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:arXiv.org 2024-02
Main Authors: Palacios, Joaquin, Deli-Ivanov, Alexandra, Chen, Ava, Winterbottom, Lauren, Nilsen, Dawn M, Stein, Joel, Ciocarlie, Matei
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Control methods
End effectors
Grasping (robotics)
Grasping force
Injury prevention
Paralysis
Robot control
Spinal cord injuries
Wearable technology
Wrist
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Summary:Individuals with hand paralysis resulting from C6-C7 spinal cord injuries frequently rely on tenodesis for grasping. However, tenodesis generates limited grasping force and demands constant exertion to maintain a grasp, leading to fatigue and sometimes pain. We introduce the MyHand-SCI, a wearable robot that provides grasping assistance through motorized exotendons. Our user-driven device enables independent, ipsilateral operation via a novel Throttle-based Wrist Angle control method, which allows users to maintain grasps without continued wrist extension. A pilot case study with a person with C6 spinal cord injury shows an improvement in functional grasping and grasping force, as well as a preserved ability to modulate grasping force while using our device, thus improving their ability to manipulate everyday objects. This research is a step towards developing effective and intuitive wearable assistive devices for individuals with spinal cord injury.
ISSN:2331-8422