A Bioinspired Assistive Exoskeleton for Supporting Shoulder and Daily Activities
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Ayse Tekes
Department
SPCEET - Mechanical Engineering
Abstract
Strokes are one of the leading causes of long-term disability. Many survivors of strokes experience limited upper-limb mobility. In this field, there is little assistive technologies for daily activities and even little that are inexpensive. In response to this gap, this project presents the design and iterative development of a wearable, cable-driven upper-body exoskeleton. The device mirrors the person’s healthy arm using inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors and operates the impaired arm through Bowden-tube cable transmission. The initial design focused on validation, using wireless sensors and motor-mounted tensioning. The current version introduces a more manufacturable design. The tension system is moved to Bowden tubes. The motors are distributed for better weight balance. The wired forces sensors are being integrated to improve reliability and responsiveness of the signal. This system aims to provide an ergonomic, lightweight, and effective solution to support stroke patients in their daily activities.
Disciplines
Other Mechanical Engineering
A Bioinspired Assistive Exoskeleton for Supporting Shoulder and Daily Activities
Strokes are one of the leading causes of long-term disability. Many survivors of strokes experience limited upper-limb mobility. In this field, there is little assistive technologies for daily activities and even little that are inexpensive. In response to this gap, this project presents the design and iterative development of a wearable, cable-driven upper-body exoskeleton. The device mirrors the person’s healthy arm using inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors and operates the impaired arm through Bowden-tube cable transmission. The initial design focused on validation, using wireless sensors and motor-mounted tensioning. The current version introduces a more manufacturable design. The tension system is moved to Bowden tubes. The motors are distributed for better weight balance. The wired forces sensors are being integrated to improve reliability and responsiveness of the signal. This system aims to provide an ergonomic, lightweight, and effective solution to support stroke patients in their daily activities.