A User Study Method on Healthy Participants for Assessing an Assistive Wearable Robot Utilising EMG Sensing

TL;DR

This paper introduces a textile robotic glove with pneumatic actuators designed for hand assistance, validated through a user study on healthy participants using EMG sensing to assess performance and safety.

Contribution

It presents a novel soft textile robotic glove with integrated pneumatic actuators and demonstrates its effectiveness through a user study involving healthy participants.

Findings

The robotic glove effectively guides hand movements.

EMG sensing confirms safe and responsive operation.

Participants showed improved hand control with the device.

Abstract

Hand-wearable robots, specifically exoskeletons, are designed to aid hands in daily activities, playing a crucial role in post-stroke rehabilitation and assisting the elderly. Our contribution to this field is a textile robotic glove with integrated actuators. These actuators, powered by pneumatic pressure, guide the user's hand to a desired position. Crafted from textile materials, our soft robotic glove prioritizes safety, lightweight construction, and user comfort. Utilizing the ruffles technique, integrated actuators guarantee high performance in blocking force and bending effectiveness. Here, we present a participant study confirming the effectiveness of our robotic device on a healthy participant group, exploiting EMG sensing.