Design and fabrication of a modular, lightweight, and portable upper limb exoskeleton for shoulder and elbow

Publication Date

1-1-2023

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Title

ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE)

Volume

5

DOI

10.1115/IMECE2023-114107

Abstract

Individuals with physical disabilities or chronic conditions resulting from afflictions such as strokes or spinal cord injuries are advised to use assistive devices to perform daily activities in everyday life for mobility assistance. Focusing on upper extremity assistance, this work aims to develop an upper limb ex-oskeleton for shoulder and elbow joints that is lightweight and cost-effective. Accordingly, this assistive device is comfortable and easy to operate in home settings, allowing these individuals to regain independence and making their daily lives and physical rehabilitation easier. This exoskeleton is designed to have adjustable dimensions for all body types and various disabilities or conditions. The proposed design ensures the user s comfort with the capability of performing different movements within a wide range of motion. The structure of this upper limb exoskeleton was fabricated using lightweight materials such as polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), aluminum, and carbon fiber sheets. High-Torque DC motors (AK80-9 model from T-Motor) have been employed on the back of the trunk segment for actuating the exoskeleton joints. In this configuration, a cable-driven system (including Bowden cables and pulleys) has been used to minimize the inertia and weight of the moving parts. To reduce the overall cost and weight of this upper-limb exoskeleton further, each of the shoulder and elbow joints is only operated by one motor. To accommodate this limitation, a full range of motion is achieved for joints such as the shoulder by utilizing a gimbal-style mechanism, where the actuated joint can be repositioned and locked about a common center of rotation. This design decision makes it possible for the user to perform many different motions with the exoskeleton

Department

Mechanical Engineering

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