The Effects of Nonlinear Modelling on Hand Tremor Mitigation Device Design

Le résumé fourni par la source

Abstract Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that impacts the nervous system and body control of over eight million people globally. Involuntary hand tremor is one of the primary symptoms associated with PD. These hand tremors affect one’s ability to perform basic motor function tasks, which can lead to frustration, anxiety, and isolation. Most treatments for PD involve medications or invasive surgeries [1]. This study is a continuation of work done in designing, prototyping, and testing a purely-mechanical, wearable device for the reduction of PD-based tremors [2]. The modeling of the biomechanical system of the hand and its interface with the device is described, with an attention to optimizing the design and performance of the new system. Nonlinearities, similar to those inherent in the physical systems, are introduced to understand and improve system performance. Testing has been performed on a mechanical hand apparatus. In comparison to the previous prototype, the weight and geometry has been reduced by 55.5% and 46.8%, respectively while the performance maintains an over 90% reduction in tremor amplitude at peak excitation.

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