Enhancing Grasping Function with a Thermoresponsive Ionogel Adhesive Glove for Patients with Rheumatic Diseases

Rheumatic diseases often result in joint deformities and peripheral nerve damage, leading to impaired hand function. Current wearable assistive gloves commonly rely on external forces to flex fingers for grasping, but they face limitations such as bulky hardware, complex finger manipulation, and a risk of joint injuries. This study presents a lightweight, portable, soft wearable adhesive glove based on thermoresponsive ionogels aimed at enhancing grasping function. The ionogel exhibits high adhesion (≈35 kPa to various materials) at 25 °C and low adhesion (≈6.8 kPa) at 45 °C. Smart adhesive pads use embedded flexible heaters and temperature sensors for closed-loop control of the ionogels’ temperature, providing programmable adhesion. A rapid switch from high to low adhesion is achieved within 4 s at 4 V. Additionally, a hands-free control interface uses inertial measurement units to detect the user's intent to release, facilitating easy and intuitive detachment. Weighing only 47 g, the glove is 7.2 times lighter than existing assistive gloves. Notably, it empowers users to grasp and release a variety of objects that will otherwise be unmanageable. Evaluation of various activities of daily living demonstrates that the glove significantly enhances grasping ability and increases autonomy for patients with rheumatic diseases.