SR (Supernumerary Robotic) Fingers

Abstract

A wearable robot, namely Supernumerary Robotic Fingers, can be developed to augment the capabilities of the human hand that can help perform a variety of prehensile, bimanual, and manipulation tasks single-handedly. The patients can use the fingers to recover their grasping abilities presenting an active compensatory tool in the initial phases of therapeutic recovery and rehabilitation to promote the use of the arm even if the hand grasp function is not recovered. The patients can intuitively control the two robotic fingers using the flex sensors attached to their fingers through a hand glove and IMU. These robotic fingers may provide chronic hemiparetic patients with assistance to lead independent and productive lives. The proposed solution is intended to act as a rehabilitation device to assist the hands in bimanual tasks like grasping and manipulating objects.