ROBOTIC ORTHOSIS PROJECT TO ASSIST IN PHYSICAL THERAPY TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS WITH FINE MOTOR DIFFICULTIES (Atena Editora)

Abstract

The hand of the human being is essential for carrying out several daily tasks. Its movement and precision in movements make it possible to manipulate objects, as well as perform complex functions that require high precision and control, such as in surgeries. Despite the great functionality of the hands, there are some diseases and traumas that cause people to lose part of their functionality, in the sense of reducing their motor skills and/or decreasing the effectiveness of the aforementioned functions. The research project is intended to develop a robotic mechanism of the exoskeleton type, involving a glove that will help people who have diseases that affect the motor actions of the hands in the treatment of diseases or traumas. Through this mechanism, physiotherapists will be able to help patients with these pathologies to carry out physical therapy activities and, consequently, these patients will be able to carry out activities of daily living with less difficulty. For the operation of the robotic mechanism, a robotic orthosis in the shape of a glove will be developed, controlled by the action of an instrumented glove. Up to the present moment of execution of the project, project drawings are being executed through CAD software, the manufacture of the exoskeleton parts of the actuation glove and for a test bench and Arduino programming for receiving signals from the control glove and the transformation of these signals to exoskeleton movement.