Development of grip amplified glove using bi-articular mechanism with pneumatic artificial rubber muscle

In this paper, a grip amplified glove using pneumatic artificial rubber muscles (PARMs) which are covered with a exoskeleton structure is developed. A bi-articular mechanism with a PARM that is suitable for bending finger is realized. The glove has totally 10 DOFs consist of four units. To achieve power-assist motion properly, the PI control, which is based on the pressure value from the balloon sensor, is performed. This sensor makes the applied part free from electricity. To evaluate the validity of glove, the skin surface electromyography (EMG) signals of muscles are measured during grasping. These results demonstrate that the effectiveness of the power amplified glove.