An Ergonomic Customizable Soft Robotic Glove Toward Personalized Hand Rehabilitation

ABSTRACT

Hand impairment after neurological disorders substantially limits independence in activities of daily living, motivating the development of effective assistive and rehabilitation strategies. Soft robotic gloves have attracted growing interest in this context; however, persistent challenges in customization, ergonomic fit, and user comfort constrain their clinical utility. Here, we present an ergonomic, customizable fabric‐based soft robotic glove whose actuators can be tailored to individual finger dimensions and joint geometry through computer numerical control heat sealing. The glove comprises five dual‐action actuators supporting finger flexion and extension, together with a dedicated thumb‐abduction actuator. Its symmetrical‐chamber architecture provides a more uniform interface‐pressure distribution than a single‐chamber design. Mechanical characterization confirmed force and moment output relevant to activities of daily living. In ten healthy participants, active assistance reduced forearm muscle activity during manipulation, and a pilot study in three individuals with cervical spinal cord injury demonstrated preliminary assistive feasibility. Together, this work contributes an integrated lightweight all‐fabric platform that jointly addresses geometric adaptation, interface‐load distribution, and functional hand closing, opening, and thumb positioning.