A team of engineers from the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences John Paulson (SEAS) developed a prototype of a soft robotic glove for people who suffer from violations of control and strength of movements.

The work on the prototype was headed by an expert in the field of wearable robotic devices Conor Walsh (Conor Walsh).

Most patients who lose control of their hands partially or completely become addicted to their daily lives from other people.

They can not prepare their own tea, can not bring the fork to their mouths, they can not cut bread or pick up the phone. For such people today, there are practically no alternatives.

A soft robotic glove, created by the Walsh team, combines high functionality, user-friendliness and aesthetic design, designed with the psychological characteristics of potential users.

"From the very beginning of this project, we focused on how the world sees the sick, deprived of the opportunity to fully use their own hands. We visited their homes, got acquainted with their way of life and everyday problems, "says Walsh, a teacher of mechanical and biomedical engineering, a member of the Harvard Bio-Design Laboratory.

Walsh as much as possible adapted a robotic glove for the needs of sick people. The design of the glove has undergone several very significant changes before the scientists came up with what suited the users.

In each finger there are numerous multi-segment miniature actuators of the pipe structure, which rationally distribute forces, make movements smooth and efficient. Thanks to such actuators, as well as Kevlar and silicone inserts, the movements of the mechanical arm are very similar to the movements of real fingers. The glove control system is portable and light, it can be worn on the belt or attached to a wheelchair.

Now the inventors are working on improving the system, which recognizes the intentions of the user. One possible solution is a bracelet on the wrist with built-in EMG sensors, recognizing the muscular electrical impulses with which a person tries to perform a certain movement medbe. en.

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