SMA-Driven Assistive Hand for Rehabilitation Therapy.
Journal article
Mayhead, Grace, Rook, Megan, Turner, Rosario, Walker, Owen, Naz, N. and Manna, S. 2025. SMA-Driven Assistive Hand for Rehabilitation Therapy. Sensors. 25 (21), p. 6782. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25216782
| Authors | Mayhead, Grace, Rook, Megan, Turner, Rosario, Walker, Owen, Naz, N. and Manna, S. |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Home-based rehabilitation supports neuromuscular patients while minimising the need for extensive clinical supervision. Due to a growing number of stroke survivors, this approach appears to be more practical for patients across diverse demographics. Although existing hardware-based assistive devices are pretty common, they have limitations in terms of usability, wearability, and safety, as well as other technical constraints such as bulkiness and torque-to-weight ratios. To overcome these issues, soft actuator-based assistance prioritises user safety and ergonomics, as it is more wearable and lightweight, offering overall support while reducing the social stigma associated with disability. Among the existing soft actuation techniques and related materials, shape memory alloys (SMA) present a feasible option, offering current-controlled actuation and compatibility with integration into flexible textiles, thereby enhancing the wearability of the device. This paper presents a compact, SMA-driven assistive device designed to support natural motion, reduce muscle fatigue, and enable daily therapy. Embedded in a glove, the device allows mirrored control, where one hand's movement assists the other, using flex sensors for feedback. The functionality of the electromyography (EMG) sensor is also used to evaluate the activation of the SMA wire; however, it is not employed for detecting individual finger motions in the assistive hand. Polyurethane foam insulation minimises thermal effects while maintaining lightweight wearability. Experimental results demonstrate a reduction in actuation time at higher voltages and the effective lifting of light to moderate weights. The device shows strong potential for affordable, home-based rehabilitation and everyday assistance. |
| Keywords | Shape Memory Alloy; Assistive Device; Thermal Management; Rehabilitation Therapy; Mirror Training; Hand; Humans; Electromyography; Equipment Design; Self-Help Devices; Stroke Rehabilitation; Wearable Electronic Devices |
| Year | 2025 |
| Journal | Sensors |
| Journal citation | 25 (21), p. 6782 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG |
| ISSN | 1424-8220 |
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.3390/s25216782 |
| Official URL | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/21/6782 |
| Publication dates | |
| Online | 05 Nov 2025 |
| 01 Nov 2025 | |
| Publication process dates | |
| Accepted | 03 Nov 2025 |
| Deposited | 10 Nov 2025 |
| Publisher's version | File Access Level Open |
| Output status | Published |
| Additional information | Publications router: Date 2025-11-05 of type 'publication_date' with format 'electronic' included in notification |
Publications router: License for this article: cc by included in notification | |
| License | CC BY |
| File |
Permalink -
https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/9w8v9/sma-driven-assistive-hand-for-rehabilitation-therapy
Download files
42
total views17
total downloads14
views this month3
downloads this month