Next Article in Journal
Integrating Vision–Language–Action Models and RGB-D Sensing for Robotic Waste Sorting on KUKA LBR iiwa
Previous Article in Journal
Hybrid LLM-Genetic Programming: Supervising and Generating Diverse Behavior Trees for Autonomous Robot Evolution
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Robotics
Volume 15
Issue 5
10.3390/robotics15050099
robotics-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Systematic Review

A Systematic Literature Review on Intelligent Soft Hand Exoskeleton Robots: Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Personalisation, Adaptation, and Design Considerations

by
Seena Joseph
1,
Wai Keung Fung
2,
Tony Punnoose Valayil
3,†,
Rajan Prasad
4 and
Tim Bashford
1,*
1
Academic Discipline of Computing, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Swansea SA1 8EW, Wales, UK
2
EUREKA Robotics Centre, Cardiff School of Technologies, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff CF5 2YB, Wales, UK
3
Institute of Robotics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
4
Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
Current address: College of Engineering and Advanced Computing, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia.
Robotics 2026, 15(5), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics15050099
Submission received: 31 March 2026 / Revised: 1 May 2026 / Accepted: 5 May 2026 / Published: 12 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Topic Bio-Inspired, Biomedical, Surgical, Social and AI-Integrated Bio-Mechanical Robotics)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

In recent years, hand exoskeleton robots have attracted extensive attention from researchers and practitioners due to their potential to rehabilitate, assist, and enhance hand movements, particularly for stroke patients. With an ageing population increasingly affected by strokes, there is a growing demand for patient-centred interventions which place less demand on clinicians, especially wearable devices that can enhance hand function. Advances in artificial intelligence have opened new avenues for developing more reliable and adaptive assistive systems. This study presents a systematic literature review, following the PRISMA protocol on the design elements of hand exoskeleton robots, acknowledging the emerging perspectives on AI integration and ethical considerations. The study provides a comprehensive foundation for future research and development in rehabilitation technologies by systematically synthesising the current mechanical architecture, actuation, sensors, material, weight, and cost aspects of soft hand exoskeleton robots for rehabilitation. The results show important patterns and trade-offs in various design dimensions, providing useful information to direct the development of more accessible and efficient rehabilitation solutions in the future.
Keywords: artificial intelligence; ethical consideration; hand exoskeleton; rehabilitation; soft robotics; systematic literature review artificial intelligence; ethical consideration; hand exoskeleton; rehabilitation; soft robotics; systematic literature review

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Joseph, S.; Fung, W.K.; Valayil, T.P.; Prasad, R.; Bashford, T. A Systematic Literature Review on Intelligent Soft Hand Exoskeleton Robots: Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Personalisation, Adaptation, and Design Considerations. Robotics 2026, 15, 99. https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics15050099

AMA Style

Joseph S, Fung WK, Valayil TP, Prasad R, Bashford T. A Systematic Literature Review on Intelligent Soft Hand Exoskeleton Robots: Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Personalisation, Adaptation, and Design Considerations. Robotics. 2026; 15(5):99. https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics15050099

Chicago/Turabian Style

Joseph, Seena, Wai Keung Fung, Tony Punnoose Valayil, Rajan Prasad, and Tim Bashford. 2026. "A Systematic Literature Review on Intelligent Soft Hand Exoskeleton Robots: Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Personalisation, Adaptation, and Design Considerations" Robotics 15, no. 5: 99. https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics15050099

APA Style

Joseph, S., Fung, W. K., Valayil, T. P., Prasad, R., & Bashford, T. (2026). A Systematic Literature Review on Intelligent Soft Hand Exoskeleton Robots: Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Personalisation, Adaptation, and Design Considerations. Robotics, 15(5), 99. https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics15050099

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop