When using a multi-joint linkage mechanism active hand prosthesis(X-finger®), more gripping force may be required. To compensate for the force acting on the original fingers, we devised a new electrically assisted multi-joint linkage mechanism active hand prosthesis (Hereafter, the hand prosthesis). The feasibility of voluntary movement was examined by comparing the movements with and without the hand prosthesis from both analysis and experiment. In the analysis, models of the index finger and the hand prosthesis were created, and flexion movements were estimated in 3-D spatial coordinates. In the experiment, movements with 6 degrees of freedom in space were measured. The results were discussed from both analytical and experimental perspectives, and the significance of the hand prosthetic was demonstrated.
TOKUMOTO et al. (Wed,) studied this question.