Development of a Haptic System for Grasp Force Control of Underactuated Prosthetics Hands

Abstract

Underactuated prosthetic hands are relatively light and economical. In this work, an economical grasping force control system is proposed for underactuated prosthetic hands with adaptive grasp capability. The prosthetic hand is driven by a main cable based on a set of electromyography sensors on the forearm of a user. Part of the main cable tension related to grasping force is fed back to the user by a skin-mounted vibrator. The proper relationship between the grasping force and the vibrator drive voltage was established and prototype tests were performed on a group of users. Relatively accurate grasping force control was achieved with minimal training of users.