Vishwanath Ketkar

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Vishwanath Ketkar is a researcher in rehabilitation robotics, with a primary focus on assistive exoskeleton mechanisms for post-stroke motor recovery. His key contributions center on the kinematic design and development of novel robotic devices that restore naturalistic hand function. His most cited work, "Design and Development of a Spherical 5-Bar Thumb Exoskeleton Mechanism for Poststroke Rehabilitation" (2023, 14 citations), presents a two-degree-of-freedom spherical five-bar thumb exoskeleton. This mechanism was designed to augment the FINGER (Finger Individuating Grasp Exercise Robot) system, which assists the index and middle fingers in naturalistic grasping motions. By enabling coordinated thumb movement alongside finger individuation, Ketkar’s work addresses a critical gap in hand rehabilitation robotics—restoring the thumb’s opposition and circumduction capabilities essential for functional grasp. His research demonstrates a clear impact on the field, providing a pathway toward more comprehensive, naturalistic robotic therapy for stroke survivors. Ketkar’s contributions are notable for their practical engineering approach, translating complex kinematic theory into a deployable device that can be integrated into existing rehabilitation platforms.