Neuroprosthetic hands are typically heavy (over 400 g) and expensive (more than US$10,000), and lack the compliance and tactile feedback of human hands. Here, we report the design, fabrication and performance of a soft, low-cost and lightweight (292 g) neuroprosthetic hand that provides simultaneous myoelectric control and tactile feedback. The neuroprosthesis has six active degrees of freedom under pneumatic actuation, can be controlled through the input from four electromyography sensors that measure surface signals from residual forearm muscles, and integrates five elastomeric capacitive sensors on the fingertips to measure touch pressure so as to enable tactile feedback by eliciting electrical stimulation on the skin of the residual limb. In a set of standardized tests performed by two individuals with transradial amputations, we show that the soft neuroprosthetic hand outperforms a conventional rigid neuroprosthetic hand in speed and dexterity. We also show that one individual with a transradial amputation wearing the soft neuroprosthetic hand can regain primitive touch sensation and real-time closed-loop control.

神经假肢手通常很重（超过 400 克）且价格昂贵（超过 10,000 美元），并且缺乏人手的顺应性和触觉反馈。在这里，我们报告了一种柔软、低成本、重量轻（292 克）的神经假肢手的设计、制造和性能，它可以同时提供肌电控制和触觉反馈。神经假体在气动驱动下具有六个主动自由度，可通过四个肌电传感器的输入进行控制，这些传感器测量来自前臂残余肌肉的表面信号，并在指尖集成五个弹性电容传感器以测量触摸压力以实现触觉反馈通过在残肢的皮肤上引起电刺激。在一组由两个经桡动脉截肢的人进行的标准化测试中，我们表明，柔软的神经假肢手在速度和灵巧性方面优于传统的刚性神经假肢手。我们还表明，一名佩戴柔软神经假肢手的经桡动脉截肢患者可以重新获得原始触觉和实时闭环控制。