Usability and functionality are important when designing hand-wearable robots; however, satisfying both indicators remains a challenging issue, even though researchers have made important progress with state-of-the-art robot components. Although hand-wearable robots require sufficient actuators and sensors considering their functionality, these components complicate the robot. Further, robot compliance should be carefully considered because it affects both indicators. For example, a robot's softness makes it compact (improving usability) but also induces inaccurate force transmission (impacting functionality). To address this issue, we present in this paper a tendon-driven, hybrid, hand-wearable robot, named Exo-Glove Shell. The proposed robot assists in three primitive motions (i.e., thumb opposition motion, which is known as one of the most important hand functions, and flexion/extension of the index/middle fingers) while employing only four actuators by using an under-actuation mechanism. The Exo-Glove Shell was designed by combining a soft robotic body with rigid tendon router modules. The use of soft garments enables the robot to be fitted well to users without customization or adjustment of the mechanisms; the metal routers facilitate accurate force transmission. User tests conducted with an individual with a spinal cord injury (SCI) found that the robot could sufficiently and reliably assist in three primitive motions through its four actuators. The research also determined that the robot can assist in various postures with sufficient stability. Based on the grasp stability index proposed in this paper, user stability-when assisted by the proposed robot-was found to be 4.75 times that of an SCI person who did not use the Exo-Glove Shell.

中文翻译：

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Exo-Glove Shell：一种用于拇指对抗的刚软混合可穿戴机器人，具有欠驱动肌腱驱动系统。


在设计手持式机器人时，可用性和功能性非常重要；然而，尽管研究人员在最先进的机器人组件方面取得了重要进展，但满足这两个指标仍然是一个具有挑战性的问题。尽管考虑到其功能，手戴式机器人需要足够的执行器和传感器，但这些组件使机器人变得复杂。此外，应仔细考虑机器人的合规性，因为它会影响这两个指标。例如，机器人的柔软性使其紧凑（提高可用性），但也会导致力传递不准确（影响功能）。为了解决这个问题，我们在本文中提出了一种肌腱驱动的混合手持式机器人，名为 Exo-Glove Shell。所提出的机器人协助三种原始运动（即拇指相对运动，这是最重要的手部功能之一，以及食指/中指的弯曲/伸展），同时通过使用欠驱动机构仅使用四个执行器。 Exo-Glove Shell 的设计是将柔软的机器人身体与刚性的腱路由器模块相结合。软体服装的使用使得机器人能够很好地贴合用户，无需定制或调整机构；金属路由器有利于精确的力传递。对脊髓损伤 (SCI) 患者进行的用户测试发现，机器人可以通过其四个执行器充分可靠地协助完成三种原始运动。研究还确定，机器人可以以足够的稳定性辅助各种姿势。根据本文提出的抓握稳定性指数，发现在所提出的机器人辅助下的用户稳定性是未使用 Exo-Glove Shell 的 SCI 人员的 4.75 倍。