Assessment of the Mechanical Support Characteristics of a Light and Wearable Robotic Exoskeleton Prototype Applied to Upper Limb Rehabilitation

Sensors

Stefano Mazzoleni¹  Juan C. Álvarez²  Mauro Callejas-Cuervo³  Manuel Andrés Vélez-Guerrero³ 

[1] Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Polytechnic University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy;Multisensor Systems and Robotics Group (SiMuR), Department of Electrical, Electronic, Computer and Systems Engineering, University of Oviedo, C/Pedro Puig Adam, 33203 Gijón, Spain;Software Research Group, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150002, Colombia;

关键词: robotic exoskeletons;    soft materials;    wearable devices;    upper limbs;    rehabilitation;    device testing;   

DOI  :  10.3390/s22113999

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Robotic exoskeletons are active devices that assist or counteract the movements of the body limbs in a variety of tasks, including in industrial environments or rehabilitation processes. With the introduction of textile and soft materials in these devices, the effective motion transmission, mechanical support of the limbs, and resistance to physical disturbances are some of the most desirable structural features. This paper proposes an evaluation protocol and assesses the mechanical support properties of a servo-controlled robotic exoskeleton prototype for rehabilitation in upper limbs. Since this prototype was built from soft materials, it is necessary to evaluate the mechanical behavior in the areas that support the arm. Some of the rehabilitation-supporting movements such as elbow flexion and extension, as well as increased muscle tone (spasticity), are emulated. Measurements are taken using the reference supplied to the system’s control stage and then compared with an external high-precision optical tracking system. As a result, it is evidenced that the use of soft materials provides satisfactory outcomes in the motion transfer and support to the limb. In addition, this study lays the groundwork for a future assessment of the prototype in a controlled laboratory environment using human test subjects.

【 授权许可】

Unknown