MARCUS: a two degree of freedom hand prosthesis with hierarchical grip control

An important factor in the acceptance of a prosthesis is the ease with which the wearer can operate the device. Multiple degrees of freedom of a prosthesis are difficult to control independently and require a high level of concentration. If the control is arranged in a hierarchical manner and the lower levels' detailed control is performed by a microprocessor, it is possible to control a number of degrees with little direct intervention by the operator. A two degree of freedom hand has been developed to demonstrate this concept and has been made sufficiently compact to allow users to gain experience with it.<
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