Vision based techniques for the experimental characterization of a prosthetic finger model

Abstract

Several prototypes of mechanical fingers composing anthropomorphic prosthetic hands have been developed using underactuated mechanisms. These mechanisms require specific experimental procedure to measure their properties. Due to their low weight, the addition of further sensors for measurement purposes could modify the trajectory of the single parts and the overall prosthetic device behaviour. Vision system methods represent a route to overcome these drawbacks. In this study, an experimental methodology to acquire the dynamics of an underactuated prosthetic finger is presented due to the employment of a vision-based technique, the Digital Image Correlation. The experimental characterization aids the development of a dynamical model of the finger behaviour.