This study investigated the coordination and control strategies that the elderly adopt during a redundant finger force coordination task and how the amount of visual information regulates the coordination patterns. Three age groups (20-24, 65-69, and 75-79 yr) performed a bimanual asymmetric force task. Task asymmetry was manipulated via imposing different coefficients on the finger forces such...

A device that provides quantitative assessment of the grasping function and allows grasping function improvements to be monitored over time can potentially be very useful for hand surgeons, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. A Dynamic Grasping Assessment System (DGAS) that is capable of measuring finger forces during wrist extension, flexion, adduction and abduction was developed. Th...

Hand function requires interaction of muscles, tendons, bones, joints and nerves. The unique construction of the hand provides a wide range of important functions such as manipulation, sense of touch, communication and grip strength (Schieber and Santello 2004). The hand is used in many ways, and in many different situations in our daily lives; so injuries, diseases or deformities of the hand c...

This paper presents the development of an Intelligent Mini Robot Fingers by using the Shape Memory Alloy (SMA). Taking into consideration the advantages of the SMA, a prototype of mini robot fingers is developed which will be actuated by the SMA. The mini robot fingers has 4 fingers with 3 degrees of freedom (DOF) in each finger. Hence, 12 DOFs of robot fingers are developed to allow a greater ...

When grasping and manipulating objects, the central controller utilizes the mechanical advantage of the normal forces of the fingers for torque production. Whether the same is valid for tangential forces is unknown. The main purpose of this study was to determine the patterns of finger tangential forces and the use of mechanical advantage as a control mechanism when dealing with objects of nonu...

INTRODUCTION Rock climbing is becoming both accessible and popular amongst a broader population base [1]. This increasing participation has been matched by an increasing injury rate, particularly injuries to the distal upper extremity [2]. The most common climbing injuries occur in the finger flexor tendon pulleys, which can be overloaded to failure by acute excessive force in compromised finge...

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the relation between cardioballistic impulse and the fluctuations in continuous isometric force production. Subjects produced isometric force via index finger flexion to constant force targets (0.5, 1 and 2 N) with and without visual feedback while beat to beat blood pressure of their middle finger was recorded. Force fluctuations were qua...

Dexterous manipulation depends on using the fingertips to stabilize unstable objects. The Strength-Dexterity paradigm consists of asking subjects to compress a slender and compliant spring prone to buckling. The maximal level of compression [requiring low fingertip forces <300 grams force (gf)] quantifies the neural control capability to dynamically regulate fingertip force vectors and motions ...

In this paper, the authors present a new methodology to study the viscoelastic behaviour of the human finger. The methodology is based on experimental research consisting of a finger's indentation with a small steel cylindrical object for various indentation speeds. The tests were realized on a CETR UMT-2 Tribometer for indentation speed between 0.02 mm/s and 4 mm/s with a normal load of up to ...

Hand exoskeletons have been developed in order to assist daily activities for disabled and elder people. A figure exoskeleton was developed using ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuators, and the performance of it was evaluated in this study. In order to study dynamic performance of a finger dummy performing pinching motion, force generating characteristics of an IPMC actuator and pinchin...