Comparative study of actuation systems for portable upper limb exoskeletons

Manna, Soumya K.; Dubey, Venketesh N.

doi:10.1016/j.medengphy.2018.07.017

Cited by 57 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…In this study, Bowden cable is used to minimize the man-machine interaction force. Bowden cable is commonly used as a transmission force in an elbow and hand exoskeleton [18][19][20][21][22]. Some researchers have conducted a study in combining pneumatic with Bowden cable [23,24] for the exoskeleton actuator system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soft Elbow Exoskeleton for Upper Limb Assistance Incorporating Dual Motor-Tendon Actuator

et al. 2019

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Loss of muscle functions, such as the elbow, can affect the quality of life of a person. This research is aimed at developing an affordable two DOF soft elbow exoskeleton incorporating a dual motor-tendon actuator. The soft elbow exoskeleton can be used to assist two DOF motions of the upper limb, especially elbow and wrist movements. The exoskeleton is developed using fabric for the convenience purpose of the user. The dual motor-tendon actuator subsystem employs two DC motors coupled with lead-to-screw converting motion from angular into linear motion. The output is connected to the upper arm hook on the soft exoskeleton elbow. With this mechanism, the proposed actuator system is able to assist two DOF movements for flexion/extension and pronation/supination motion. Proportional-Integral (PI) control is implemented for controlling the motion. The optimized value of Kp and Ki are 200 and 20, respectively. Based on the test results, there is a slight steady-state error between the first and the second DC motor. When the exoskeleton is worn by a user, it gives more steady-state errors because of the load from the arm weight. The test results demonstrate that the proposed soft exoskeleton elbow can be worn easily and comfortably by a user to assist two DOF for elbow and wrist motion. The resulted range of motion (ROM) for elbow flexion–extension can be varied from 90° to 157°, whereas the maximum of ROM that can be achieved for pronation and supination movements are 19° and 18°, respectively.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soft Elbow Exoskeleton for Upper Limb Assistance Incorporating Dual Motor-Tendon Actuator

et al. 2019

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“…To carry out the exercises with higher load, size and weight of the motor are also increased [15] and so is the cost. As a result, most of the electric motor controlled exoskeletons are ground-based system [16]. In the former case, human joint is always under motor control which might not be ideal from safety point of view.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Portable Elbow Exoskeleton for Three Stages of Rehabilitation

Manna

Dubey

2019

Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics

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Patients suffering from stroke need to undergo a standard and intensive rehabilitation therapy. The rehabilitation training consists of three sequential stages: the first stage is controlled joint movement under external actuator, the second stage deals with supporting the movements by providing assistive force, and the last stage provides variety and difficulty to exercises. Most of the exoskeletons developed so far for rehabilitation are restricted to a particular type of activity. Although a few exoskeletons incorporate different modes of rehabilitation, those are software controlled requiring sensory data acquisition and complex control architecture. To bridge this gap, a portable elbow exoskeleton has been developed for delivering three stages of rehabilitation in a single structure without affecting the range of motion and safety features. Use of electric motor and springs have been arranged in the actuation mechanism to minimize the energy consumption. The developed exoskeleton enhances torque to weight ratio compared to existing models, and all the three modes of rehabilitation have been controlled using a single motor.

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“…By providing supporting forces and moments they mitigate the effects of muscular weakness, and thereby restore the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Thus, they can reduce the need for external help and may enhance social participation [2], [3]. Yet, to this day, active assistive wearable devices exhibit significant shortcomings which prevent their widespread adoption [3]- [7].…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Thus, they can reduce the need for external help and may enhance social participation [2], [3]. Yet, to this day, active assistive wearable devices exhibit significant shortcomings which prevent their widespread adoption [3]- [7]. Many of these can be traced back to the method of actuation [3] which often determines the overall mechanical structure of the device.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The two predominant actuation methods currently used in wearable soft robotic devices are electric and pneumatic actuation [1], [8]. Electric actuation is almost exclusively implemented using cable-based transmission systems, which have the ability to provide high forces and large displacements [1], [3]. Pneumatic actuation, on the other hand, boasts a wide range of diverse implementations and embodiments.…”

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confidence: 99%

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