An analysis of biomechanical requirements and actuating technologies of biomimetic hand exoskeletons regarding to driving force and stroke

Exoskeletons have gained importance recently. In the case of musculoskeletal diseases, they can restore or support the mobility of injured body parts; in everyday life, they can relieve the musculoskeletal system and thus contributes to the preservation of health into old age. However, active systems face challenges due to the efficient and reliable actuators. In the following, the example of the hand will be used to investigate what influence the individuality of the hand under consideration has on the selection of a suitable actuator about force and stroke. The literature outlines that tendon-driven mechanism with a biomimetic design are a promising approach for hand exoskeletons: The finger is actively moved by an actuator using artificial tendons positioned along the finger to match anatomical structures. For this purpose, actuators based on electromagnetic or pneumatic principles, and smart materials are described. The requirements for force and stroke of the drive can be derived from the analysis of finger kinematics. In this study the finger kinematics of 13 subjects were analyzed. The results show a scatter in stroke and force depending on the finger considered. To select a suitable actuator for the biomimetic hand exoskeleton, these results are compared with the force and stroke characteristics of various actuating principles. The comparison reveals that the choice of the actuator depends on the intended primary support for the hand (movement, endurance, grip strength). Hence, it can be deduced that step drivers meet the force and stroke requirements and may be a suitable alternative.