Orthotic Hand-Assistive Exoskeleton

Many people suffer from diseases that impair muscle function, resulting in decreased hand strength and a significant reduction in hand function. The objective of this project is to design and fabricate a powered exoskeleton that assists hand function and reduces the amount of muscular force needed to pinch and grasp. This device will be portable and easily manufactured, consisting of four major sub-systems: a mechanical exoskeleton, forearm support structure, biofeedback sensor array, and motor control system. The exoskeleton will be comprised of aluminum bands incorporated into a tight fitting glove. The mechanical exoskeleton will be actuated using braided polymer cables attached to three linear actuators via a simple pulley system that connects the most distal finger bands to the motors. The control system of the hand will incorporate a microcontroller that is coded to integrate data from the finger tip sensors to actuate the motors. A light weight, portable battery will be utilized as the power supply.