Transradial Prostheses: Trends in Development of Hardware and Control Systems.

Prosthesis is a wearable device which intends to provide the functionality and/or appearance of a missing body part. In the case of trans-radial prostheses the wearer or the trans-radial amputee is fitted with an artificial wrist and a hand which is either mechanically or electro-mechanically operated. Main aim is to enable the wearer to perform activities of daily living with minimal external assistance. In this review paper, hardware systems of state-of-the-art trans-radial prostheses have been briefly discussed. Focus is to provide an insight on the latest technologies employed in development of its mechanical-systems: terminal devices, artificial wrist joints and body attachments. In that context, latest hardware designs on terminal devices for grasping motion are presented as it is the primary function of trans-radial prostheses. Hardware designs of prosthetic wrists and body attachments are also reviewed. Finally, latest trends and future directions on design of trans-radial prostheses are explored and presented.