Modeling and development of tension force measurement system for cable-driven hand exoskeleton robot

With rapidly growing of aged and disabled population, insufficiency of medical care for those impaired patients, such as shortage of physical therapist has drawn much attention recently. The aim of this paper is devoted to investigation of how tension force in a cable-driven hand exoskeleton robot varies with different engagement of exoskeleton motion under the non-loading condition. A Lagrange model for the hand exoskeleton robot is derived and validated by careful mechatronic measurements with good agreement. Results from the present study suggest the proposed model can accurately estimate the variation profile of cable tension force with different engagement of metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints in the hand exoskeleton robot.