Development of Power assist device for hand grasping using light and flexible actuator

Abstract

Power assist device for hand grasping for aged or disable person has been developed. A major type of the assist device uses globe type covering user hand surface and using many actuators. The purpose of this study is to develop power assist device not covering user hand surface by using light actuator. In this paper, the structures of plastic film actuator and power assist device are described, and the effectiveness is experimentally evaluated. In the experiment, this device outputs 1.8N, and we can hold 540 grams of plastic bottles by using it.