An exoskeleton system for hand rehabilitation driven by shape memory alloy

An exoskeleton system to assist hand rehabilitation exercise autonomously was introduced in this paper. A geared four-bar linkage mechanism was proposed as the main structure of the exoskeleton, and was verified by kinematic modeling, static analysis as well as finite element analysis. To determine the size of the exoskeleton, the optimization method was adopted, so as to improve the kinematic performance of the system. A differential rotational actuator based on shape memory alloy (SMA) was proposed, which reduced the system´s weight and hence improved its portability. The 3D printer was used to produce the exoskeleton structure. Finally, through a series of experiments, feasibility and reliability of the hand exoskeleton system were demonstrated.