Design of 3D printed smart material compatible hand prosthesis

Abstract

Every year there are about 3500-5200 people suffering from upper limb amputations, most of which are wrist disarticulation and transcarpal. This paper investigates current upper limb prostheses and presents the disadvantages of current prostheses, including limited degrees of freedom (DOF), limited range of motion, weight, customizability, and appearance. The proposed design is the first stage of a series of papers that proposes designs that are compatible with shape morphing materials. The use of these materials as actuators allows the development and design of more advanced upper limb prostheses. Therefore, the prosthesis is modelled as needed for patients with transcarpal/wrist disarticulation amputations. The proposed model has 27 degrees of freedom (DOF), reduced weight, low cost, improved appearance, and is printable to fit.