A Finger Model with Constant Tendon Moment Arms

A kinematic finger model was developed with the assumption that the tendon moment arms at the finger joints were constant, and that the finger moved in the sagittal plane. Equations of static equilibrium for the model, derived using the principle of virtual work, were indeterminate. The number of variables was reduced based on the muscular activities in finger movements. The finger strengths were computed from the equilibrium equations, and mathematically expressed as functions of finger positions, tendon moment arms, and lengths of phalanges. Experiments were performed to measure finger strengths, and the measured finger strengths were compared to the computed results.