Thursday, July 27, 2023

Comparative Analysis of Custom-Designed Soft Pneumatic Actuators for Human Thumb Movement in Post-Stroke Rehabilitation

Ask your doctor if this is good enough to recover thumb movement. You shouldn't have to ask because your doctor, if competent, would already have analyzed this before you asked about it.

 Comparative Analysis of Custom-Designed Soft Pneumatic Actuators for Human Thumb Movement in Post-Stroke Rehabilitation

Syahirul Alim Ritonga a,1,*, Herianto a,2
a Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Graphica, Sleman and 55281, Indonesia)
1 syahirul.alim.r@ugm.ac.id*; 2 herianto@ugm.ac.id.
A B S T R A C T
Article history:
Accepted
One of the most potential applications of soft actuator is as wearable
medical devices for post-stroke rehabilitation as a field that requires
high levels of safety and adaptability. Incorporating SPAs into such
devices can provide a safer and more secure solution, ensuring
controlled movements that do not pose a risk to patients. However,
there is a research gap regarding the design considerations for soft
actuators specifically targeting the human thumb, which exhibits
distinct motion patterns compared to the other fingers. This paper
addresses this gap by developing and evaluating custom-designed
SPAs for the movement of the human thumb, with a focus on post-
stroke rehabilitation. Three SPA models (M1, M2, and M3) were
proposed, and their performance in replicating the twisting motion of
the thumb was assessed. The SPAs were fabricated using 3D
printing, and image processing software was utilized for
measurement and analysis. The results showed that the M3 model,
with two sections of chambers in different axes, exhibited the best
performance in generating the desired twisting angle. Integration of
the M3 model with four finger-shaped SPAs enabled successful
grasping and picking-like movements. This research contributes to
the advancement of soft actuators in wearable medical devices,
particularly in post-stroke rehabilitation, and holds promise for
enhancing patient recovery and quality of life.

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