New test bench for fatigue performance comparison of mechanically-actuated fingers for 3D-printed hand prostheses

Details

Supervisors

Herman, Benoît ; Wendo, Kévin

Faculty

Ecole polytechnique de Louvain

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur civil mécanicien, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

Limb loss significantly impacts a patient's life, leading to physical and social challenges, particularly for children, where it can hinder psychomotor development. Access to commercial prostheses is often restricted due to high costs and limited availability. To address these issues, researchers, NGOs and individuals have developed various 3D-printed hand prostheses to provide open-source, low-cost, and accessible alternatives. However, there is a lack of validation studies for these models. This study presents the early phases of evaluating the fatigue resistance of individual fingers for 3D-printed prostheses. A customized test bench was designed, assembled and validated to achieve this evaluation. The bench generates a cycle of flexion-extension every half second for up to six fingers in parallel, over one million cycles within two weeks. It also tracks the angular range of motion of the prosthetic fingers and the force required for actuation. These measurements are critical for assessing the durability and performance of the 3D-printed prostheses. Based on the results obtained from the test bench, new prosthetic models can be proposed and optimized to enhance fatigue resistance. This iterative process of testing and improvement will contribute to developing more robust and reliable 3D-printed hand prostheses, ultimately improving the quality of life for individuals with limb loss.