In this week we started working on the wrist exoskeleton project. In the beginning, we do a lot of research on background of the wrist exoskeleton. Some people, who suffered from cerebral palsy, stroke, drop-wrist or damage to the nerve in the forearm, may cannot stretch their wrist and fingers during the rest situation. This will cause some unwanted joint damage in the future.
Thus we determined that our purpose of this design is to create a wrist exo that helps users to reduce these joint damage and help them to gain mobility in their wrist during the rehabilitation. Then, we looked some previous models for inspirations. The two typical designs are the spider hand, and the Saebostretch.
Based on their different characteristics, such as one-degree-of-freedom mechanical design, and the adjustable frames and various materials. We developed our specific aims and goals. We decided to improve the previous design, and make sure that it is flexible enough to bend in couple of degrees. Also, we wanted to add some unique designs that can strengthen the grip of users and extend their fingers.