Preliminary design of a tendon-based anthropomorphic robotic hand

Abstract

With the development of more advanced technology, neuroprosthetics are becoming a more viable solution for amputees. However, a limitation on designing neural-machine interfaces is the lack of robotic hand availability in academic institutes. Although commercial hands exists and have the aptitude of mimicking the human hand, such systems are large and costly. The Lübeck's anthropomorphically designed robotic hand (LAnDRoH) is meant to address these issues by providing a lightweight and cost-effective solution with the capabilities of a fully dexterous hand. The LAnDRoH is an endoskeletal robotic hand that is designed to mimic the appearance and kinematics of an adult human hand. It was constructed with a polyamide polymer and uses 25 actuators to control 20 degrees of freedom. A flexible link-hosted actuation system, using braided Dyneema® cables in a N+1 routing configuration, mimics the functionality of tendons in the human hand. This paper presents the design and preliminary tests of the LAnDRoH. © 2012 by Walter de Gruyter. Berlin. Boston.