Remote control of a robotic hand using a leap sensor

This paper presents a low-cost gesture-based remote control of a ro-botic hand. The proposed control architecture is based on a commercial leap motion sensor and an Arduino board, which have been chosen due to their low-cost and user-friendly features. A specific Matlab code has been implemented to collect data from the leap motion sensor and to generate proper instructions to control a robotic hand, which has been 3D print at Sheffield Hallam Univer-sity. Experimental tests have been carried out validate the effectiveness of the proposed remote control for performing various grasping tasks

A two DoF finger for a biomechatronic artificial hand

Current prosthetic hands are basically simple grippers with one or two degrees of freedom, which barely restore the capability of the thumb-index pinch. Although most amputees consider this performance as acceptable for usual tasks, there is ample room for improvement by exploiting recent progresses in mechatronics design and technology. We are developing a novel prosthetic hand featured by multiple degrees of freedom, tactile sensing capabilities, and distributed control. Our main goal is to pursue an integrated design approach in order to fulfill critical requirements such as cosmetics, controllability, low weight, low energy consumption and noiselessness. This approach can be synthesized by the definition "biomechatronic design", which means developing mechatronic systems inspired by living beings and able to work harmoniously with them. This paper describes the first implementation of one single finger of a future biomechatronic hand. The finger has a modular design, which allows to obtain hands with different degrees of freedom and grasping capabilities. Current developments include the implementation of a hand comprising three fingers (opposing thumb, index and middle) and an embedded controller

A Methodology for the Design of Robotic Hands with Multiple Fingers

This paper presents a methodology that has been applied for a design process of anthropomorphic hands with multiple fingers. Biomechanical characteristics of human hand have been analysed so that ergonomic and anthropometric aspects have been used as fundamental references for obtaining grasping mechanisms. A kinematic analysis has been proposed to define the requirements for designing grasping functions. Selection of materials and actuators has been discussed too. This topic has been based on previous experiences with prototypes that have been developed at the Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics (LARM) of the University of Cassino. An example of the application of the proposed method has been presented for the design of a first prototype of LARM Hand

Manos Robóticas Antropomórficas: una revisión

This paper presents a review on main topic regarding to anthropomorphic robotic hands developed in the last years, taking into account the more important mechatronics designs submit on the literature, and making a comparison between them. The next chapters deepen on level of anthropomorphism and dexterity in advanced actuated hands and upper limbs prostheses, as well as a brief overview on issues such as grasping, transmission mechanisms, sensory and actuator system, and also a short introduction on under-actuated robotic hands is reported.Este artículo presenta una revisión de los principales desarrollos que se han hecho en los últimos años en manos robóticas antropomórficas. Las primeras secciones tratan temas como el grado de antropomorfismo y de destreza en las manos robóticas más avanzadas, incluyendo una comparación entre ellas. También se abordan temas como la capacidad de agarre de los efectores finales, los mecanismos de trasmisión, el sistema actuador y sensórico, así como una breve introducción al tema de manos robóticas sub-actuadas. Dirección de correspondencia: Carrera 11 # 101-80, Bogotá (Colombia)

Parametric mechanical design and optimisation of the Canterbury Hand.

As part of worldwide research humanoid robots have been developed for household, industrial and exploratory applications. If such robots are to interact with people and human created environments they will require human-like hands. The objective of this thesis was the parametric design and optimisation of a dexterous, and anthropomorphic robotic end effector. Known as the ‘Canterbury Hand’ it has 11 degree of freedoms with four fingers and a thumb. The hand has applications for dexterous teleoperation and object manipulation in industrial, hazardous or uncertain environments such as orbital robotics. The human hand was analysed so that the Canterbury Hand could copy its motions, appearance and grasp types. An analysis of the current literature on experimental prosthetic and robotic hands was also carried out. A disadvantage of many of these hand designs was that they were remotely powered using large, heavy actuator packs. The advantage of the Canterbury Hand is that it has been designed to hold the motors, wires, and circuit boards entirely within itself; although a belt carried battery pack is required. The hand was modelled using a parametric 3D computer aided design (CAD) program. Two different configurations of the hand were created in the model. One configuration, as a dexterous robot hand, used Ø13mm 3 Watt DC motors, while the other used Ø10mm, 0.5 Watt DC motors (although this hand is still slightly too large for a general prosthesis). The parts within the hand were modelled to permit changes to the geometry. This was necessary for the optimisation process. The bearing geometry of the finger and thumb linkages, as well as the thumb rotation axis was optimised for anthropomorphic motion, appearance and increased force output. A design table within a spreadsheet was created to interact with the CAD models of the hand to quickly implement the optimised geometry. The work reported in this thesis has shown the possibilities for parametric design and optimisation of an anthropomorphic, dexterous robotic hand

Parametric mechanical design and optimisation of the Canterbury Hand.

As part of worldwide research humanoid robots have been developed for household, industrial and exploratory applications. If such robots are to interact with people and human created environments they will require human-like hands. The objective of this thesis was the parametric design and optimisation of a dexterous, and anthropomorphic robotic end effector. Known as the ‘Canterbury Hand’ it has 11 degree of freedoms with four fingers and a thumb. The hand has applications for dexterous teleoperation and object manipulation in industrial, hazardous or uncertain environments such as orbital robotics. The human hand was analysed so that the Canterbury Hand could copy its motions, appearance and grasp types. An analysis of the current literature on experimental prosthetic and robotic hands was also carried out. A disadvantage of many of these hand designs was that they were remotely powered using large, heavy actuator packs. The advantage of the Canterbury Hand is that it has been designed to hold the motors, wires, and circuit boards entirely within itself; although a belt carried battery pack is required. The hand was modelled using a parametric 3D computer aided design (CAD) program. Two different configurations of the hand were created in the model. One configuration, as a dexterous robot hand, used Ø13mm 3 Watt DC motors, while the other used Ø10mm, 0.5 Watt DC motors (although this hand is still slightly too large for a general prosthesis). The parts within the hand were modelled to permit changes to the geometry. This was necessary for the optimisation process. The bearing geometry of the finger and thumb linkages, as well as the thumb rotation axis was optimised for anthropomorphic motion, appearance and increased force output. A design table within a spreadsheet was created to interact with the CAD models of the hand to quickly implement the optimised geometry. The work reported in this thesis has shown the possibilities for parametric design and optimisation of an anthropomorphic, dexterous robotic hand