Handmaid: design and evaluation of a hand exoskeleton with active backdrive for neuromuscular rehabilitation

Abstract Hand impairments caused by stroke or neuromuscular disorders severely restrict daily activities, underscoring the need for effective, home-applicable rehabilitation systems. This study presents HandMaid, a wearable hand exoskeleton that restores motion through electromyography (EMG)-based intention detection and an active backdrive safety mechanism. The system integrates a 3D-printed rigid exoskeleton, linear actuators, and a neural network interface that is retrained before each use to