Azzurra Chiri

Mechatronic Design and Characterization of the Index Finger Module of a Hand Exoskeleton for Post-Stroke Rehabilitation

This paper presents HANDEXOS, a novel wearable multiphalanges device for post-stroke rehabilitation. It was designed in order to allow for a functional and safe interaction with the users hand by means of an anthropomorphic kinematics and the minimization of the human/exoskeleton rotational axes misalignment. This paper describes the mechatronic design of the exoskeletons index finger module, simulation, modeling, and development of the actuation unit and sensory system. Experimental results on the validation of the dynamic model and experimental characterization of the index finger module with healthy subjects are reported, showing promising results that encourage further clinical trials.

HANDEXOS: Towards an exoskeleton device for the rehabilitation of the hand

This paper introduces a novel exoskeleton device (HANDEXOS) for the rehabilitation of the hand for post-stroke patients. The nature of the impaired hand can be summarized in a limited extension, abduction and adduction leaving the fingers in a flexed position, so the exoskeleton goal is to train a safe extension motion from the typical closed position of the impaired hand.

A telerehabilitation system for hand functional training

In this paper we describe a robotic system for telerehabilitation of hand functions. The system consists of a glove acting as a remote master and a powered hand exoskeleton acting as a slave. Preliminary results with healthy participants are presented, illustrating the system’s usability for task-specific hand functional training. Our study encourages further application and testing in studies involving patient populations.