The PrHand: Functional Assessment of an Underactuated Soft-Robotic Prosthetic Hand

Abstract

Functional tests aim to compare the functionality of a prosthesis with a human hand. The main objective of this work is to present and evaluate an affordable prosthesis (PrHand) built with soft robotic technologies and novel joints based on compliant mechanisms. Two functional tests have been selected in this work. The first is the AHAP protocol, which evaluates how the prosthesis performs eight different grips; three variables are considered: grasping, maintaining, and grasping ability score (GAS). The results were 69.03% with 57.77% in grasping and 80.28% in maintaining. The second test is the AM-ULA, which evaluates the prosthesis by performing 23 Activities of Daily Living. PrHand prosthesis had a score of 2.5 over 4.0. The functionality of the PrHand prosthesis has similar results to other prostheses evaluated in the literature. The comparison with the human hand was 69%. PrHand presents a promising solution for amputees in developing countries regarding cost and functionality.