Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Device Actuated with Pneumatic Muscles

Abstract

Year after year recovery clinics worldwide report significant numbers of lower limb bearing joint disabilities. An effective method for the speedy rehabilitation of patients with such afflictions is Continuous Passive Motion (CPM), drawing upon a range of specific equipment. This paper presents an innovative constructive solution for such orthopaedic rehabilitation equipment, designed to ensure a swift reintegration of patients at as low a cost as possible. The absolute novelty consists in the utilization of the linear pneumatic muscle as actuator of the orthopaedic rehabilitation equipment, thus achieving a light and highly compliant construction that satisfies safety requirements related to man-machine interaction. Pneumatic muscles are bio-inspired actuation systems characterized by a passive variable compliant behaviour. This property, deployed in rehabilitation systems, enables the development of human friendly devices, which are comfortable for the patients, and capable of safe interaction. This paper presents the constructive schematic of the orthopaedic rehabilitation equipment, the structure of the actuation and positioning system, and several of its functional characteristics.

Experimental Research on the Hysteretic Behaviour of Pressurized Artificial Muscles Made from Elastomers with Aramid Fibre Insertions

“…The central element of these pneumatic muscles is a flexible tube made of an aramid fibre-reinforced rubber composite material. The elastomer is a chloroprene rubber and forms a matrix that integrates a 3D mesh of inelastic aramid fibres laid out in a diamond pattern ( Figure 1) [28,29].…”

“…The central element of these pneumatic muscles is a flexible tube made of an aramid fibrereinforced rubber composite material. The elastomer is a chloroprene rubber and forms a matrix that integrates a 3D mesh of inelastic aramid fibres laid out in a diamond pattern ( Figure 1) [28,29]. The idea of reinforcing the flexible tube with a 3D mesh of synthetic fibres emerged as a solution to improve behavioural characteristics, such as inhibiting radial in favour of axial deformation and increasing the flexibility and durability of the entire assembly.…”

Modeling and control of the linear actuator for the lower limb rehabilitation device

“…Research results show that the device can support patients with a range of motion of the knee joint from 55° to 85° and of the hip from 35° to 55°. 20 Goergen et al introduced a rehabilitation device that uses a pneumatic cylinder mechanism to drive the knee joint. In this study, a mathematical model of the device was presented.…”

Design and Analysis of Pneumatic Bending Actuator Used in Soft Robotics

“…Soft robots have been explored for a variety of applications, such as grasping irregular [3] or fragile objects [4], wearable [5] and field robotics [6], minimally invasive surgery [7] and orthopaedic rehabilitation device or prosthetic artificial organs [8] among others. The actuation modes of soft robots can be classified into three major categories: pneumatic [9] [10] or hydraulic [11] driven, tendon or cable driven [12], as well as intelligent material driven (like electroactive polymer and shape memory alloy).…”