On the design and control of soft robotics-enabled prosthetic hands

Since the 16th century, science and engineering have endeavored to match the richness and complexity of the sensory and motor functionality of the human hand. State of art of prosthetic hands is divided between simple and reliable gripper like systems and sophisticate hands that offer a greater range and variety of movements but which, unfortunately, are correspondingly more difficult to control. For this reason, despite notable advances in technology and research, the function of prosthetic hands and the satisfaction of users remain low. However, in recent decades, a growing interest in soft robotics and simplification of the mechanical design, e.g. through underactuation mechanisms and the use of synergies, suggest a new and promising direction. This thesis aims to exploit the potential of these emerging trends and move a step towards robust and reliable prosthetic technologies, characterized by simple and intuitive control while maintaining sufficient functional performance to be useful in daily tasks. This study proposes strategies to optimize the performance of a prosthetic hand, achieving a useful trade-off between complexity in mechanical design and control.