engleski

Design of a 3D printed rehabilitation device and testing of its material properties

With the aim of developing an innovative full-arm rehabilitation mechatronics device, an inverse kinematics approach is followed in this work. By using the CATIA V5 software environment, the challenge of reproducing the motion of factual human joints is thus tackled by employing seven actuated mechanical joints [1]. The conceived device is based on 3D printing components so that virtually all the passive components will be produced in the ABS thermoplastic polymer. In fact, not only does this choice allow to attain the needed low-weight and versatility of the developed device, but also our team has at its disposal, at the premises of the Centre for Micro- and Nanosciences and Technologies of the University of Rijeka, Croatia, a suitable Stratasys Fortus 250 mc 3D printer based on Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technology [2]. Material properties of the ABS material are hence thoroughly studied according to proper international standards [3] so as to optimize the 3D printing process. Based on functional considerations, as well as on considerations related to needed forces, torques, velocities and motion ranges, the actuating and sensing components of the device are, in turn, chosen among commercially available ones. In parallel, the development of a real-time control system, based on the National Instruments MyRIO 1900 hardware and the LabVIEW software, including the robotics module based on Denavit-Hartenberg algorithms, is also carried on. In further work, electromyography sensors will also be integrated into system’s architecture to allow an active control of the torque for each joint. All of this should results in an advanced technological solution for the rehabilitation of patients for the Croatian hospitals.

Full-arm rehabilitation, motion kinematics, DOFs

nije evidentirano