DESIGN AND PRELIMINARY EXPERIENCE WITH FLUIDHAND MK III

Abstract

The third generation of the fluidic hand currently is in the process of clinical trial. The new hand combines functionality and cosmesis. It has the natural shape of a human hand and multiple new functions. The grasping operation is built in an adaptive way according to the biological example. This means that objects are enclosed with positive locking. The big contact area and soft passive elements considerably reduce the grasping force required to hold an object securely. Starting from a natural basic hand position, all actuators can be controlled individually by two myoelectrodes in the socket. The software allows for a quick selection of the most important grasping patterns. Besides the multifunctional control, features of the new hand like the force feedback system which gives the patient a sense of feeling and operation of a (computer) keyboard with the index will be depicted.