Design of a 2-finger Hand Exoskeleton for Vr Grasping Simulation

There are numerous applications of VR simulation requiring the grasping and manipulation of virtual objects. Standard-use haptic interfaces (e.g. PHANToM) allow only a limited level of realism, as grasping is approximated through a metaphor (e.g. pressing a button for grasping an object). Existing hand exoskeletons have also certain drawbacks (e.g. feedback only for finger flexion, limited finger workspace etc.). The work presented in this paper introduces a hand force exoskeleton that allows full finger flexion and extension and applies bi-directional feedback. It offers 3dof for the index finger and 4 for the thumb. The system is actuated by DC motors and a cable transmission is used. It has been designed for use in conjunction with a commercial 6dof haptic arm in order to allow the simulation of external forces.