SMA or motor powered exoskeleton hand

thingiverse

Printing in vase mode using flexible filaments purchased from eBay, I utilized two types: Sebs and another unknown brand. Both exhibit low friction and high strength, perfect for their intended flexibility and rigidity. In my previous project, I created an exoskeleton that resembled a second set of bones and joints on the limbs; however, this one functions like a skin, providing excellent practicality and comfort as snug-fitting moving gloves. The tendons mimic real biological tissue in terms of movement tolerance. I achieved this by using muscle wires connected to the tendons. When activated by a hot liquid or gas burner, though not ideal for portability, each finger requires 3 Amps to heat up. The same principle and design can be applied to elbows, hips, and other joints. This exoskeleton can be used for rehabilitation after strokes, where it can be powered by the main AC supply. The muscle wires possess a strength greater than that of biological muscles in the hand. For control purposes, I utilized Arduino or NodeMCU, hooked up to an Electrocardiography Electromyography Shield for Duinomite, Pinguino, Maple, and Arduino-like development boards. These little chips handled tasks well. I initially tested the system using a 12V portable car jump-start battery from eBay (4HA), which appeared to offer no performance advantages over its SLA 12 7HA counterpart but was significantly lighter. The system can also use motors, albeit with motor-related limitations; however, when powered by batteries, they prove efficient.