State of the Art in Artificial Wrists: A Review of Prosthetic and Robotic Wrist Design

The human wrist contributes greatly to the mobility of the arm/hand system, empowering dexterity and manipulation capabilities. However, both robotic and prosthetic research communities tend to favor the study and development of end-effectors/terminal devices (hands, grippers, etc.) over wrists. Wrists can improve manipulation capabilities, as they can orient the end-effector of a system without imparting significant translational motion. In this paper, we review the current state of the art of wrist devices, ranging from passive wrist prostheses to actuated robotic wrist devices. We focus on the mechanical design and kinematic arrangements of said devices and provide specifications when available.