Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Kody Ensley

Adam M Sanders

Douglas Martin Linn

Chris A Ihrke

Donald R Davis

Evan Laske

Bryan J Bergelin

R Scott Askew

A grasp assist system includes a glove and sleeve. The glove includes a digit, i.e., a finger or thumb, and a force sensor. The sensor measures a grasping force applied to an object by an operator wearing the glove. The glove contains a tendon connected at a first end to the digit. The sleeve has an actuator assembly connected to a second end of the tendon and a controller in communication with the sensor. The controller includes a configuration module having selectable operating modes and a processor that calculates a tensile force to apply to the tendon for each of the selectable operating modes to assist the grasping force in a manner that differs for each of the operating modes. A method includes measuring the grasping force, selecting the mode, calculating the tensile force, and applying the tensile force to the tendon using the actuator assembly.

Control of a glove-based grasp assist device

Growing community of inventors

Polson, MT, United States of America

Kody Ensley