Design and performance characterization of a hand orthosis prototype to aid activities of daily living in a post-stroke population.

This paper presents the design of a hand orthosis prototype intended to assist persons with hand paresis, as a result of stroke, perform activities of daily living. Among its attributes, the orthosis is characterized by a low mass and small profile, while still offering the power assistance of a robotic exoskeleton. Experimental characterization of the orthosis is presented, including its mass, envelope dimensions, motion bandwidth, and joint torque characteristics.