human motion; spinal cord injury; wearable robots; physically assistive devices

Loss of hand function severely impacts the independence of people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) between C5 and C7. To achieve limited grasps or strengthen grip around small objects, these individuals commonly employ a compensatory technique to passively induce finger flexion by extending their wrist. Passive body-powered devices using wrist-driven actuation have been developed to assist this function, in addition to advancements in active robotic devices aimed at finger articulation for dexterous manipulation.