Motorized tensioner systemfor prosthetic hands

Sammanfattning: Modern research in prosthetic devices and other assistive technologies are constantly pushing boundaries. While the technology is impressive, it is still inaccessible for the greater part of the people in need of it. Advanced devices are often extremely expensive and require regularly maintenance from professionals. Enabling the Future is a global network of volunteers and was founded to face these problems. They design and 3D-print mechanical prosthetics for people in need all over the world. Most of the designs used by Enabling the Future are purely mechanical and do not implement motors. The purpose of this thesis was to take a new approach to the design and construction of low-cost motorized prosthetic hands. By distancing all the electronic components from the hand, including the motor, the project aimed to create a device compatible with all current designs of the Enabling the Future community. To conceptualize this approach a demonstrator was constructed and tested. It utilized a muscle sensor which allowed users to control the hand by tightening their muscles. The distance between the electronic components and the prosthetic hand measured approximately one and a half meters and still transfered enough force, from the motor to the hand, to deliver an adequate grip strength.