External - SSN College of Engineering

Nadim Amin

School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, & Health Systems

Biomedical Engineering

Faculty Mentor: Dr. A. Kavitha

Biomedical Engineering

Ms. R. Nithya Co-Mentor

Hand Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation

This research focused on the design of an affordable, printable, compact, wearable, powered hand exoskeleton for both daily life assistance and physical rehabilitation for stroke survivors. The exoskeleton aims to speed up the process of rehabilitation while allowing users to go about their daily routine’s uninhibited. The design process began with a detailed study of hand anatomy and kinematics to ensure that each digit could be actuated individually to a close to full range of motion. A simple rigid linkage structure is used to connect the back of each segment of each finger to a base structure on the back of the hand. The exoskeleton incorporates five mini linear actuators that power the flexion and extension of each individual finger. Control of the linear actuators is achieved using small, wearable EMG sensors that capture and transmit EMG data to an equipped microcontroller in real-time. This design allows for the user to control grip strength and hand position at any given time without the usage of another body part. The simplicity of the design and use of small, reliable components results in an easy to assemble and use rehabilitation device.