An Electromyography-aided Robotics Hand for Rehabilitation – A Proof-of-Concept Study

The conventional rehabilitation process has benefited in aiding a patient’s recovery significantly. However, for a typical traditional rehabilitation session to occur, a medical professional is required to present alongside the patient. With the advancement of technology, robotics is now being integrated into the rehabilitation process to provide significant benefits to the rehabilitation environment. The objective of this project is to develop a Rehabilitative Robotics System that assists stroke patients with the recovery of their hand movements. A hand exoskeleton is integrated with an Electromyography (EMG) sensor, a linear actuator, a microcontroller, and a screen. The EMG input is used to detect a patient’s intention to open or close his/her arm with the assistance of the linear actuator. The screen will display the options which allow the patient to select the mode of the rehabilitation process. The results of the session are then recorded in the computer for further analysis by the medical professionals. The system is aimed to design a portable, lightweight device that can be mobile with the patient without a secondary assistant. This paper presents the literature review alongside the development of the hand exoskeleton design, hardware components and design, software implementation, and system implementations.