A tool for the evaluation of human lower arm injury: approach, experimental validation and application to safe robotics

This paper treats the systematic injury analysis of lower arm robot–human impacts. For this purpose, a passive mechanical lower arm (PMLA) was developed that mimics the human impact response and is suitable for systematic impact testing and prediction of mild contusions and lacerations. A mathematical model of the passive human lower arm is adopted to the control of the PMLA. Its biofidelity is verified by a number of comparative impact experiments with the PMLA and a human volunteer. The respective dynamic impact responses show very good consistency and support the fact that the developed device may serve as a human substitute in safety analysis for the described conditions. The collision tests were performed with two different robots: the DLR Lightweight Robot III (LWR-III) and the EPSON PS3L industrial robot. The data acquired in the PMLA impact experiments were used to encapsulate the results in a robot independent safety curve, taking into account robot's reflected inertia, velocity and impact geometry. Safety curves define the velocity boundaries on robot motions based on the instantaneous manipulator dynamics and possible human injury due to unforeseen impacts. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 201

Dynamic modeling of a human-inspired robot based on a Newton-Euler approach

This work deals with the modeling process of a new three dimensional human-like robot for an inverse dynamic analysis. This robot intends to be utilized by caregivers to assist persons with reduced mobility (such as the elderly). The model under analysis is composed by 24 rigid bodies: 3 to represent the robot’s base and locomotion, 4 for the lower limbs and torso, 7 for each arm, and 3 for the head. The resulting multibody system has 19 degrees-of-freedom driven by 4 linear actuators and 15 revolute motors. The proposed approach was implemented using an in-house computational code, and validated against a commercial software for a general spatial motion. The outcomes achieved show that the proposed formulation is computationally effective both in terms of efficiency and accuracy. The general findings of this study are promising and useful for the mechanical design and construction of a real human-like robot prototype

Mechanical performance of auxetic polyurethane foam for antivibration glove applications

In this study the static and dynamic characteristics of conventional open cell polyurethane (PU), of auxetic (negative Poisson’s ratio) and of iso-density foams were analysed. The specimens were produced from conventional gray open-cells polyurethane foam with 30-35 pores/inch and 0.0027 g/cm3 density, by means of process which has been previously defined by the authors. Poisson’s ratio measurements were performed under quasi-static conditions using an MTS 858 servohydraulic test machine and a video image acquisition system. For the auxetic foams the results suggested similar behaviour to that previously reported in the literature, with significant increases in stiffness during compressive loading, and a significant dependence of the Poisson’s ratio on the applied strain. Transmissibility tests, performed in accordance with the ISO 13753 procedure for antivibration glove materials, suggested a strong dependence of the transmissibility on the foam manufacturing parameters. Within the frequency range from 10 to 31.5 Hz the transmissibility was found to be greater than 1, while it was less than 1 at all frequencies greater than 31.5 Hz. The transmissibility results were similar to the mean values for 80 resilient materials tested by Koton et. al., but were higher than the five best materials (not all polymeric) identified by the same researchers. In this study it has been suggested that the resilient behaviour of glove isolation materials should also be evaluated in terms of the indentation characteristics. A simple, linear elastic, Finite Element simulation was therefore performed, and the indentation results suggested that auxetic foams offer a significant decrease in compressive stresses with respect to conventional PU foams

Non-linear dependency of the subjective perceived intensity of steering wheel rotational vibration

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2009 ElsevierThe present study has established equal sensation curves for steering wheel hand-arm rotational vibration. Psychophysical response tests of 20 participants were performed in a steering wheel rotational vibration simulator using the category-ratio Borg CR10 scale procedure for direct estimation of perceived vibration intensity. The test stimuli used were sinusoidal vibrations at 22 third octave band centre frequencies in the range from 3 to 400 Hz, with acceleration amplitudes in the range from 0.06 to 30 m/s(2) r.m.s. A multivariate regression analysis was performed on the mean perceived intensity Borg CR10 values as a function of the two independent parameters of the vibration frequency and amplitude. The results suggested a non-linear dependency of the subjective perceived intensity on both the steering wheel rotational vibration frequency and amplitude. The equal sensation curves were found to be characterised by a decreased sensitivity to hand-arm vibration with increasing frequency from 10 to 400 Hz, but by an increased sensitivity with increasing frequency from 4 to 10 Hz. A 6th order polynomial model has been proposed as a best fit regression model from which the equal sensation curves for steering wheel rotational vibration are derived.Relevance to industry: For the manufactures of automobiles, steering systems and other automobile components this study provides a mathematical model from which one or more new frequency weightings for the use in evaluating the perceived intensity of steering wheel rotational vibration are derived. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Collision Detection and Reaction: A Contribution to Safe Physical Human-Robot Interaction

In the framework of physical Human-Robot Interaction (pHRI), methodologies and experimental tests are presented for the problem of detecting and reacting to collisions between a robot manipulator and a human being. Using a lightweight robot that was especially designed for interactive and cooperative tasks, we show how reactive control strategies can significantly contribute to ensuring safety to the human during physical interaction. Several collision tests were carried out, illustrating the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach. While a subjective “safety” feeling is experienced by users when being able to naturally stop the robot in autonomous motion, a quantitative analysis of different reaction strategies was lacking. In order to compare these strategies on an objective basis, a mechanical verification platform has been built. The proposed collision detection and reactions methods prove to work very reliably and are effective in reducing contact forces far below any level which is dangerous to humans. Evaluations of impacts between robot and human arm or chest up to a maximum robot velocity of 2.7 m/s are presented

Biomechanics

Biomechanics is a vast discipline within the field of Biomedical Engineering. It explores the underlying mechanics of how biological and physiological systems move. It encompasses important clinical applications to address questions related to medicine using engineering mechanics principles. Biomechanics includes interdisciplinary concepts from engineers, physicians, therapists, biologists, physicists, and mathematicians. Through their collaborative efforts, biomechanics research is ever changing and expanding, explaining new mechanisms and principles for dynamic human systems. Biomechanics is used to describe how the human body moves, walks, and breathes, in addition to how it responds to injury and rehabilitation. Advanced biomechanical modeling methods, such as inverse dynamics, finite element analysis, and musculoskeletal modeling are used to simulate and investigate human situations in regard to movement and injury. Biomechanical technologies are progressing to answer contemporary medical questions. The future of biomechanics is dependent on interdisciplinary research efforts and the education of tomorrow’s scientists

Optimization and design of a cable driven upper arm exoskeleton

This paper presents the design of a wearable upper arm exoskeleton that can be used to assist and train arm movements of stroke survivors or subjects with weak musculature. In the last ten years, a number of upper-arm training devices have emerged. However, due to their size and weight, their use is restricted to clinics and research laboratories. Our proposed wearable exoskeleton builds upon our extensive research experience in wire driven manipulators and design of rehabilitative systems. The exoskeleton consists of three main parts: (i) an inverted U-shaped cuff that rests on the shoulder, (ii) a cuff on the upper arm, and (iii) a cuff on the forearm. Six motors, mounted on the shoulder cuff, drive the cuffs on the upper arm and forearm, using cables. In order to assess the performance of this exoskeleton, prior to use on humans, a laboratory test-bed has been developed where this exoskeleton is mounted on a model skeleton, instrumented with sensors to measure joint angles and transmitted forces to the shoulder. This paper describes design details of the exoskeleton and addresses the key issue of parameter optimization to achieve useful workspace based on kinematic and kinetic models.</jats:p

Vibration Propagation on the Skin of the Arm

Vibrotactile interfaces are an inexpensive and non-invasive way to provide performance feedback to body-machine interface users. Interfaces for the upper extremity have utilized a multi-channel approach using an array of vibration motors placed on the upper extremity. However, for successful perception of multi-channel vibrotactile feedback on the arm, we need to account for vibration propagation across the skin. If two stimuli are delivered within a small distance, mechanical propagation of vibration can lead to inaccurate perception of the distinct vibrotactile stimuli. This study sought to characterize vibration propagation across the hairy skin of the forearm. We characterized vibration propagation by measuring accelerations at various distances from a source vibration of variable intensities (100–240 Hz). Our results showed that acceleration from the source vibration was present at a distance of 4 cm at intensities \u3e150 Hz. At distances greater than 8 cm from the source, accelerations were reduced to values substantially below vibrotactile discrimination thresholds for all vibration intensities. We conclude that in future applications of vibrotactile interfaces, stimulation sites should be separated by a distance of at least 8 cm to avoid potential interference in vibration perception caused by propagating vibrations