Engineering Commons^™

A Linear Actuator/Spring Steel-Driven Glove For Assisting Individuals With Activities Of Daily Living, Daniel Chizhik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over three million people in the U.S. suffer from forearm and hand disabilities. This can result from aging, neurological disorders (e.g., stroke), chronic disease (e.g., arthritis), and injuries. Injuries to hands comprise one-third of all work-related injuries worldwide. This can lead to difficulties with activities of daily living (ADL), where one needs to grasp, lift, and release objects in the household. There is a rise in demand for assistive orthoses and gloves that can allow many people to regain their grasping/releasing ability and, thereby, their independence. The main contribution of this thesis is developing an assistive glove with the actuating …