Development Of A Dynamic, Reconfigurable Finger-Hand Skeletal Structure

Abstract

A finger or hand brace may be required to be worn for people who require physical support or ‘controlled motion’ support. Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) patients have connective tissue disorders, and wear braces to support and limit motion. Manual assembly operators, carpal tunnel sufferers, and the elderly may also benefit from wearing finger or hand braces. Additive manufacturing (AM) solutions provide flexible manufacturing options for customized braces; however, a CAD model must be developed to facilitate a manufacturing solution. The goal of this research is to develop a readily adaptable CAD model for a hand, which would link to a flexible brace model. Rhinoceros® and Grasshopper® modelling tools are employed to develop a solution that can be dynamically manipulated to adjust to a specific hand size, and/or localized finger-hand configurations. The final CAD model (hand or brace) can then be built using an AM process.