Individuals with upper limb motor deficits due to neurological conditions, such as stroke and traumatic brain injury, may exhibit hypertonia and spasticity, which makes it difficult for these individuals to open their hand. The Hand Orthosis with Powered Extension (HOPE) Hand was created in 2018. The performance of the HOPE Hand was evaluated by conducting a Box and Blocks test with an impaired subject.\nImprovements were identified and the HOPE Hand was mechanically redesigned to increase the functionality in performing grasps. The original motor configuration was reorganized to include active thumb flexion and extension, as well as thumb abduction/adduction. An Electromyography (EMG) study was conducted on 19 individuals (10 healthy, 9 impaired) to evaluate the viability of EMG device control for the specified user group. EMG control, voice control, and manual control were implemented with the HOPE Hand 2.0 and the exoskeleton system was tested for usability during a second Box and Blocks test.

Creator

• Meier, Tess Bisbee

Contributors

• Li, Zhi
• Fischer, Gregory S.
• Clancy, Edward A.

Degree

• MS

Unit

• Robotics Engineering

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• etd-042419-220450

Keyword

• electromyography
• user studies
• voice control
• extension
• hand exoskeleton
• assistive device

Advisor

• Fischer, Gregory S.

Committee

• Li, Zhi
• Clancy, Edward

Defense date

• 2019-04-08

Year

• 2019

Date created

• 2019-04-24

Resource type

• Thesis

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2023-09-19