The importance of joint integrity is a priority of the hand and wrist joints mobility is crucial for any individual. Motion control is achieved by the somatic nervous system composed of those formations which are designed to integrate body in the external environment, to achieve body relationship with this environment. Dynamic biomechanical models serve for quantitative analysis required in planning surgery on tendons [6] or to assess the transfer of nervous signals controlling the effectors [5]. Some others are dedicated to model various operations for design and implementation of the prosthetic components [13]. Recent models have approximately the same configuration: changing dimensional structure is not taken into account, but only the resulting physiological movement and rotation are analyzed for a single predominantly degree of freedom around a defined axis. Many scientists have tried over time to reproduce the hand kinematics, but not so many are those who have tried to design a guiding hand mechanism to reproduce its natural movements. The aim of this paper is to achieve the cinematic scheme of such a mechanism, able to lead fingers on path as possible as close to their natural movements.

This document deals with optimization of flexible pneumatic actuator (APF), used to develop a force of thrust. It was intended for efficient routing of strain and was carried out for research on materials used, shape of pressurized chamber, and the introducing of no elastic materials for fittings and fixtures. This study was focused on the properties of compressed air and makes a small pneumatic actuator that develops useful force by expanding the volume of a pressurized chamber made out of elastic material. The research performed on this type of actuator has led to a small APF (10-20 mm) with more than satisfactory results, with a wide range of uses in automation, robotics, medicine, aviation and more.

Studies and researches in medical devices made evident the need of new systems and technologies for locomotors recovery of human body as to reduce the reintegration time in normal activities and, not the least, to improve the recovery quality, to give the possibility to perform natural movements identical to those before the suffered injury. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to obtain the 3D virtual model of a mechanism describing the hand kinematics, and a real medical prototype device to be used in locomotors recovery of the hand. In order to perform the movements, pneumatic fluidic actuators are used, considering that they are flexible, small, made especially for this project. A specialized software for assisted design is used to obtain the virtual model and for the fabrication of device component parts Rapid-Prototyping technology is applied, the Fused Deposition Modeling principle (FDM).

No abstract