Rehabilitation glove

The rehabilitation glove showing sensor strips on each finger. 

Of particular interest is the development of a rehabilitation glove (Figure 11.23). The glove [149] is to be used to provide continuous passive motion during rehabilitation via physiotherapy after major injury and surgery to the hand. Applications such as these provide an excellent framework for development of the performance criteria of artificial muscle fibers. Fibers with length of the order of 30 cm with 5% strain capabilities under significant (5 MPa) load are required. The advent of helical wire interconnects. 

Rehabilitation glove showing the positioning of the actuating fibers and sensing patches. 

Actuators will be integrated throughout the wearable glove structure to provide assisted movement during rehabilitation. 

There is a more comprehensive test, which will provide information about both the fingertip precision of a glove and a glove s overall impact on hand movement. The Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test involves the rapid placement of 60 individual discs in a series of prescribed test patterns. The Minnesota test is commonly used to assess hand-eye coordination, injury rehabilitation or task aptitude. 

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