Vacuum as a grasping force.
Three lifting systems for small objects were designed using vacuum as an artificial prehensile force. The first system for persons with C4-5 quadriplegia employed a vacuum pump, pneumatic tubing and a customized wrist-hand orthosis. For more severely disabled persons with C4 quadriplegia, the authors adapted this vacuum pick-up system by substituting a lightweight, tubular aluminum mouthstick in place of the orthosis as the primary grasping utensil. A 3rd variation, the suction mouthstick, lifted small objects and turned pages by using only the suction power generated by the person's own inspiratory force without additional mechanical amplification.
D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014618:Vacuum