Control system for pneumatically controlled glove to assist in grasp activities

A pneumatically controlled glove has been developed at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in order to study its use on improving hand functions for individuals with hand impairment following stroke. The methods of the control system and glove design are presented in this article. Preliminary data has been collected on neurologically healthy subjects to demonstrate the training regime, and also to show the ability of the glove to assist in extending the fingers for grasping objects. Data from a stroke survivor who completed training is also shown.