Development of 6-axis force/moment sensor for measuring the fingers´ muscular strength of human

In order to judge the rehabilitation extent of the damaged fingers as a stroke patient, the fingers´ muscular strength should be measured. It is that the muscular strength values of the damaged fingers of a patient should be compared with that of a normal man. The 6-axis force/moment sensor which can measure forces Fx, Fy, Fz and moments Mx, My, Mz is necessary to measure the fingers´ muscular strength, and it is proper in its size, capacities of each sensor to measure the forces and moments accurately. In this paper, the 6-axis force/moment sensor to measure some fingers´ muscular strength is developed, which is the fingers´ muscular strength to grasp with the surface of fingers, the fingers´ muscular strength to grasp with the side surface of fingers, and the fingers´muscular strength to twist with two hands. The characteristic test of the fingers´ muscular strength is carried out using the developed 6-axis force/moment sensor. It is thought that the developed sensor could be used to measure the fingers´ muscular strength of human.