Developing a hybrid soft mechanism for assisting individualized flexion and extension of finger joints

Kokubu, Shota; Yu, Wenwei

doi:10.1109/embc44109.2020.9176061

Cited by 6 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Observing these results, it is reasonable to declare that the modular design has better overall bending performance (angle and force), which agrees with the findings reported by related studies [16,29].…”

Section: Rvsulqjsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…The hysteresis of the bending angle-air pressure curve could have been due to the non-linear behavior of elastic materials. This phenomenon has also been reported in related studies [29,30]. On the other hand, the hysteresis of the torque-air pressure curve is smaller than that of the bending angle-air pressure curve, and the transition is also reversed.…”

Section: Rvsulqjsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Yun et al also proposed a fabric-based actuator module, demonstrating the possibility of personal customization [16]. In addition, in one of our previous studies [29], an approach to modularize fiber-reinforced elastomer type actuators for individualization was proposed. Although all of them show the possibility to individualize the soft glove, the fiber-reinforced elastomer type shows a higher bending performance at lower input air pressures among them.…”

Section: Modular Typementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fiber-reinforced modular soft actuator was designed following our previous studies [15,29,30], based on the requirements described in Section 2, while keeping the advantages of traditional fiber-reinforced soft actuators. Unlike conventional ones, it was scaled to a single joint size instead of covering the whole finger.…”

Section: Modular Typementioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of Fiber-Reinforced Modular Soft Actuators for Individualized Soft Rehabilitation Gloves

et al. 2022

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Applying soft actuators to hand motion assist for rehabilitation has been receiving increasing interest in recent years. Pioneering research efforts have shown the feasibility of soft rehabilitation gloves (SRGs). However, one important and practical issue, the effects of users’ individual differences in finger size and joint stiffness on both bending performance (e.g., Range of motion (ROM) and torque) and the mechanical loads applied to finger joints when the actuators are placed on a patient’s hand, has not been well investigated. Moreover, the design considerations of SRGs for individual users, considering individual differences, have not been addressed. These, along with the inherent safety of soft actuators, should be investigated carefully before the practical use of SRGs. This work aimed to clarify the effects of individual differences on the actuator’s performance through a series of experiments using dummy fingers designed with individualized parameters. Two types of fiber-reinforced soft actuators, the modular type for assisting each joint and conventional (whole-finger assist) type, were designed and compared. It was found that the modular soft actuators respond better to individual differences set in the experiment and exhibit a superior performance to the conventional ones. By suitable connectors and air pressure, the modular soft actuators could cope with the individual differences with minimal effort. The effects of the individualized parameters are discussed, and design considerations are extracted and summarized. This study will play an important role in pushing forward the SRGs to real rehabilitation practice.

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Section: Rvsulqjsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Rvsulqjsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Modular Typementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Modular Typementioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of Fiber-Reinforced Modular Soft Actuators for Individualized Soft Rehabilitation Gloves

et al. 2022

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“…Various designs, including fabric-based, bellows-based, and fiberreinforced elastomer-based actuators, have been developed to facilitate individualized adaptations [4], [15]- [18]. These modular units, connected through 3D-printed components, offer ease of personalization [17], [18]. Previous studies, including our own, have substantiated the utility of modular actuators in providing support for individual joint motion [17], [18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Bidirectional Support for Individual Finger Joints in Soft Rehabilitation Gloves: Integration of Foldable Pouch Actuators With Modular Elastomeric Actuators

Kokubu,

Tortós Vinocour,

2024

IEEE Access

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In recent years, a proliferation of soft actuators tailored for hand rehabilitation has been observed. In particular, modular soft actuators have garnered particular interest due to their capacity for individual customization and joint-specific support, a feature often lacking in whole-finger soft actuators. Despite these advancements, a significant limitation persists: the majority of these actuators facilitate only finger flexion, neglecting the equally vital extension movements required for comprehensive hand rehabilitation. Traditional approaches to achieving multi-degree-of-freedom or bidirectional motion have relied on the integration of multiple chambers within soft actuators. However, this strategy has proven impractical for modular soft actuators, primarily due to spatial constraints within the finger joint. To address this challenge, we introduce a foldable pouch actuator (FPA). Designed as a flat, foldable structure composed of a single sheet, the FPA expands solely upon pressurization, generating the requisite force for finger extension. Notably, the FPA seamlessly integrates with existing modular soft actuators without compromising their structural integrity or functional capabilities, thereby enabling bidirectional support for individual joints. Evaluations using a synthetic finger model achieved a joint flexion torque of 0.17 Nm and estimated an overall extension torque of 0.12 Nm. These advancements were accomplished without compromising the traditional flexion functionality, adding individual joint extension support to the existing capabilities. This study constitutes a substantive leap forward in the utilization of soft actuators for clinical hand rehabilitation applications.INDEX TERMS soft robotics, soft actuator, hand rehabilitation, finger-motion assistance, active extension support, bidirectional support.While initial research efforts have primarily concentrated

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Development and Evaluation of Fiber Reinforced Modular Soft Actuators and an Individualized Soft Rehabilitation Glove

Kokubu

Vinocour

2023

Intelligent Autonomous Systems 17

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Developing a hybrid soft mechanism for assisting individualized flexion and extension of finger joints

Cited by 6 publications

References 13 publications

Evaluation of Fiber-Reinforced Modular Soft Actuators for Individualized Soft Rehabilitation Gloves

Evaluation of Fiber-Reinforced Modular Soft Actuators for Individualized Soft Rehabilitation Gloves

Bidirectional Support for Individual Finger Joints in Soft Rehabilitation Gloves: Integration of Foldable Pouch Actuators With Modular Elastomeric Actuators

Development and Evaluation of Fiber Reinforced Modular Soft Actuators and an Individualized Soft Rehabilitation Glove

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