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Machine learning

Development of Dexterous Soft-Robotics Based Assistive Glove with Kinematic Modeling

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A new study published in the journal Intelligent Systems with Applications has revealed the development of a dexterous soft-robotics based assistive glove with spatial kinematic model and control system. The research was conducted by a team of engineers at Meiji University, led by Nawara Mahmood Broti, and aimed to create an assistive device that can aid both daily activities and rehabilitation for individuals with paralysis. The proposed five-fingered glove provides 20 degrees of freedom (DoFs), closely resembling a human hand, and has the ability to perform various motions such as flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction.

Key Takeaways:

  • The proposed assistive glove has 20 degrees of freedom (DoFs), closely resembling a human hand, and can perform various motions such as flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction.
  • The glove's tendon-driven mechanism simplifies design and control, while the 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material ensures comfort, lightness, and an anthropomorphic appearance.
  • The derived forward and inverse kinematics of each finger are capable of mapping joint angles to fingertip positions and orientations.
  • To validate the kinematic model, virtual simulation was conducted to confirm its accuracy; while basic hand functionality experiments proved the gloves' effectiveness.
  • The research aims to contribute to medical robotics, biomechanics, and assistive technology.
  • The study was funded by the University of Dhaka and involved a team of researchers from Meiji University, led by Nawara Mahmood Broti, and Shamim Ahmed Deowan, and A.S.M. Shamsul Arefin.

Statistics:

  • The proposed assistive glove has 20 degrees of freedom (DoFs), which is closely similar to the number of degrees of freedom of a human hand.
  • The glove's tendon-driven mechanism simplifies design and control by reducing the number of components and increasing precision.
  • The 3D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material used in the glove ensures comfort, lightness, and an anthropomorphic appearance, making it suitable for long-term use.
  • The virtual simulation conducted to validate the kinematic model achieved an accuracy of [insert accuracy measure, if available].
  • The basic hand functionality experiments conducted proved the gloves' effectiveness in performing various motions, with an average success rate of [insert percentage, if available].

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Research from Meiji University Reveals New Findings on Intelligent Systems (Design and development of a dexterous soft-robotics based assistive exoglove with kinematic modeling). Robotics & Machine Learning. September 8, 2025; p 378.
  • Broti, N. M., Deowan, S. A., & Arefin, A. S. M. S. (2025). Design and development of a dexterous soft-robotics based assistive exoglove with kinematic modeling. Intelligent Systems with Applications, 2025, 27():200550.

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