Enhancement of bend sensor properties as applied in a glove for use in neurorehabilitation settings

Following hand function impairment caused by a neurological disorder, the functional level of the upper extremities has to be assessed in the clinical and rehabilitation settings. Current hand function evaluation tests are somewhat imprecise. Instrumented gloves allow finger motion monitoring during the performance of skilled tasks, such as grasping objects. As a result, they provide an objective tool for evaluating slight changes in the fine motor skills of the hand. Numerous gloves are based on resistive bend sensors, given that this is an easy to handle, low-cost, and reliable sensing element. When bending is not applied homogeneously along such a sensor, as is the case with finger-joint bending, its output response varies with the sensor´s longitudinal position. Our goal is to determine the optimal sensor position with respect to the finger-joint in order to enhance the resolution of the sensors embedded in a glove. The validity of the integrated sensors is evaluated and the accuracy values are given.