A skeletal framework artificial hand actuated by small sized pneumatic artificial muscles

This paper describes a method and a process for developing a soft artificial hand similar to a real human hand, which is actuated by the soft actuator, called "Mckibben pneumatic artificial muscle". The pneumatic artificial muscle makes an artificial hand not only move softly and powerfully by pneumatic power but also work as a sensor. Applying pneumatic artificial muscles, the hand becomes very soft in material as well as motion and reacts sensitively to the load for its self-sensing function in the actuator.