Abstract— This paper presents advancements in the design
of a portable, soft robotic glove for individuals with functional
grasp pathologies. The robotic glove leverages soft material
actuator technology to safely distribute forces along the length
of the finger and provide active flexion and passive extension.
These actuators consist of molded elastomeric bladders with
anisotropic fiber reinforcements that produce specific bending,
twisting, and extending trajectories upon fluid pressurization.
In particular, we present a method for customizing a soft
actuator to a wearer’s biomechanics and demonstrate in a
motion capture system that the ranges of motion (ROM) of the
two are nearly equivalent. The active ROM of the glove is
further evaluated using the Kapandji test. Lastly, in a case
study, we present preliminary results of a patient with very
weak hand strength performing a timed Box-and-Block test
with and without the soft robotic glove.