Development and usability testing of a finger grip enhancer for the elderly

• Main Authors: Tan, Dominic Wen How, Ng, Poh Kiat, Noor, Ervina Efzan Mhd, Saptari, Adi, Hue, Chee Chen, Ng, Yu Jin
• Format: Article
• Published: MDPI 2022
• Subjects: T Technology (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/43151/; https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85122968842&doi=10.3390%2frobotics11010005&partnerID=40&md5=b58c7797f46b2932e76eb92c18c790b7

As people age, their finger function deteriorates due to muscle, nerve, and brain degener-ation. While exercises might delay this deterioration, an invention that enhances elderly people’s pinching abilities is essential. This study aims to design and develop a finger grip enhancer that facilitates the day-to-day pinching activities of elderly people. This research is an extension of a previous study that conceptualised a finger grip enhancer. The device facilitates finger flexion on the thumb and index finger, and weighs 520 g, allowing for improved portability and sufficient force exertion (13.9 N) for day-to-day pinching. To test for usability, eleven subjects aged 65 years and above performed a pinch-lift-hold test on various household objects. The pinch force before and after utilising the device was measured. Using Minitab 18, the statistical significance of using this device was analysed with a paired-samples t-test. With this device, the elderly people’s pinching abilities significantly improved in both pinch force and pinch force steadiness (p < 0.05). The proposed device has the potential to enhance elderly people’s quality of life by supporting a firm pinch in the handling of everyday objects. This research has applicational value in developing exoskeleton devices for patients who require rehabilitation. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.