Topology optimization of a fully compliant prosthetic finger: Design and testing

Traditional prosthetic fingers use rigid links and kinematic joints, which lead to the fingers that lack adaptability. This paper presents a new design of fingers which are fully compliant for prosthetic applications. A home-based topology optimization method was used for the structural synthesis and dimensional analysis in order to determine the topology and geometry of the finger. A prototype was manufactured and experimented for its performance. In order to evaluate the performance of the prosthetic finger, the forces and displacements of the input end and output were measured. A spring was attached at the output end to mimic the stiffness of the work-piece in order to evaluate the grasping ability. Finite element analysis was also performed to compare with the experimental results. It was found that the compliant prosthetic finger met the design requirements and overcome some problems present in the traditional prosthetic fingers. The home-made topology optimization method is reliable for the design of prosthetic finger.