Analysis of a kinematically compatible hand rehabilitation exoskeleton robot

Abstract

In recent years, hand rehabilitation exoskeleton robots have developed rapidly and are mainly used to provide scientific and effective rehabilitation training for patients with motor dysfunction. These devices are usually in direct contact with the user, so their human-robot interaction has a direct impact on performance. Poor handling of the kinematic compatibility between the robot and the human skeleton can affect the torque transmitted to the patient's joints and overload the joints and soft tissues. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the kinematic characteristics of the human-robot compatible part of the hand exoskeleton rehabilitation robot when coupled to the finger and the factors affecting it. In this paper, a kinematic-compatible exoskeleton robot for hand rehabilitation was designed using a kinematic solution based on a kinematic-compatible mechanism (robot-human skeleton). The kinematic trajectory of this exoskeleton robot model is further simulated and validated using MATLAB software, which confirms that it is free from misalignment and has overall flexibility. This paper can solve the axis misalignment problem of the hand exoskeleton robot more effectively, which makes the rehabilitation training of patients more effective and safer. Meanwhile, this paper discusses the reasonable working space range of human-robot coupling and, on this basis, the possible secondary injury problem when the fingers are coupled with the rehabilitation exoskeleton.