TY - JOUR
T1 - The Effect of the Degree of Freedom and Weight of the Hand Exoskeleton on Joint Mobility Function
AU - Priadythama, Ilham
AU - Yeoh, Wen Liang
AU - Loh, Ping Yeap
AU - Muraki, Satoshi
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP17H01454 and JP21H04898.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2022/4
Y1 - 2022/4
N2 - This study aims to investigate the effects of the degree of freedom (DOF) and weight of the hand exoskeleton (HE) on hand joint mobility function (ease of movement, movement range) in fine hand use activities. A three-digit passive HE prototype was built to fit each of the 12 partici-pants. Two DOF setups (three DOF, two DOF), two digits’ weight levels (70 g, 140 g), and barehand conditions were tested. A productivity task (performed with Standardized-Nine Hole Peg Test) and motion tasks, both performing the tip pinch and tripod pinch, were conducted to measure the task completion time and the range of motion (ROM) of the digit joints, respectively, using a motion capture system. The perceived ease rating was also measured. The results showed that DOF reduction and weight addition caused a significant task completion time increase and rating drop (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the DOF reduction increased the ROM reduction of the proximal interphalangeal joints; however, the weight addition caused a correction of the ROM reduction of several joints (p < 0.05) at the tripod pinch. In conclusion, wearing an HE reduces hand joint mobility, especially in lower DOF. However, a certain weight addition may improve joint mobility in terms of the fingers’ movement range.
AB - This study aims to investigate the effects of the degree of freedom (DOF) and weight of the hand exoskeleton (HE) on hand joint mobility function (ease of movement, movement range) in fine hand use activities. A three-digit passive HE prototype was built to fit each of the 12 partici-pants. Two DOF setups (three DOF, two DOF), two digits’ weight levels (70 g, 140 g), and barehand conditions were tested. A productivity task (performed with Standardized-Nine Hole Peg Test) and motion tasks, both performing the tip pinch and tripod pinch, were conducted to measure the task completion time and the range of motion (ROM) of the digit joints, respectively, using a motion capture system. The perceived ease rating was also measured. The results showed that DOF reduction and weight addition caused a significant task completion time increase and rating drop (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the DOF reduction increased the ROM reduction of the proximal interphalangeal joints; however, the weight addition caused a correction of the ROM reduction of several joints (p < 0.05) at the tripod pinch. In conclusion, wearing an HE reduces hand joint mobility, especially in lower DOF. However, a certain weight addition may improve joint mobility in terms of the fingers’ movement range.
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U2 - 10.3390/robotics11020053
DO - 10.3390/robotics11020053
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85129209637
SN - 2218-6581
VL - 11
JO - Robotics
JF - Robotics
IS - 2
M1 - 53
ER -