Host: The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
Name : [in Japanese]
Date : June 01, 2022 - June 04, 2022
The authors are developing a paralyzed hand assist system that combines functional electrical stimulation and an exoskeleton-type assist mechanism for the purpose of reconstructing hand function and assisting in daily life for upper limb paraplegics. The exoskeleton type assist mechanism of this system is designed to assist the adduction and abduction of fingers. In this paper, we describe the development of an assist mechanism using a cam that assists the adduction and abduction of the index, ring, and little fingers. The servo motor used in the assist mechanism was limited to an appropriate torque by inserting a resistor. As a result of mounting the assist mechanism on an actual hand, it was confirmed that the assist mechanism was capable of assisting the adduction and abduction of the index, ring, and little fingers, although there was some slippage.
