A Hand Rehabilitation Device Based on Magnetorheological Three-Dimensional Soft Actuators TPU Exoskeleton

Addressing issues such as the complexity of hand rehabilitation device structures, difficulty in wearing, and weak grasping force at the end effector, a novel hand rehabilitation device based on magnetorheological three-dimensional soft actuators (TPU exoskeleton) is proposed. To enhance grasping force, this study utilizes magnetorheological elastomer as the base material for a three-degree-of-freedom fiber-reinforced magnetic-fluid hybrid soft actuator. To alleviate wearing difficulties, a modular TPU finger exoskeleton is designed. Finite element simulation is employed to optimize the winding turns of the fiber-reinforced layer. A maximum relative error of 28% between simulation-optimized soft actuators and actual values is observed. An improved whale optimization algorithm establishes a mathematical model with air pressure, magnetic induction intensity as inputs, and bending angle as output. Theoretical validations are conducted through performance testing on a comprehensive soft actuator experimental platform. Results demonstrate a maximum relative error of 16.0224% and an average absolute percentage error of 6.0874% in bending angle for the soft actuators. Experimental findings indicate that the hand rehabilitation device can grasp daily life items effectively and meet basic hand rehabilitation training requirements.