scholarly journals Customization of a 3D Printed Prosthetic Finger Using Parametric Modeling

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Lim ◽  
Thomás Georgiou ◽  
Aashish Bhardwaj ◽  
Grace D. O’Connell ◽  
Alice M. Agogino
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Parametric Modeling ◽  
Width Ratio ◽  
Linkage Mechanism ◽  
Prosthetic Limbs ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Finger Width ◽  
Prosthetic Finger ◽  
Finger Tip ◽  
Four Bar Linkage

Prosthetic limbs and assistive devices require customization to effectively meet the needs of users. Despite the expense and hassle involved in procuring a prosthetic, 56% of people with limb loss end up abandoning their devices [1]. Acceptance of these devices is contingent on the comfort of the user, which depends heavily on the size, weight, and overall aesthetic of the device. As seen in numerous applications, parametric modeling can be utilized to produce medical devices that are specific to the patient’s needs. However, current 3D printed upper limb prosthetics use uniform scaling to fit the prostheses to different users. In this paper, we propose a parametric modeling method for designing prosthetic fingers. We show that a prosthetic finger designed using parametric modeling has a range of motion (ROM) (path of the finger tip) that closely aligns with the digit’s natural path. We also show that the ROM produced by a uniformly scaled prosthetic poorly matches the natural ROM of the finger. To test this, finger width and length measurements were collected from 50 adults between the ages of 18–30. It was determined that there is negligible correlation between the length and width of the index (D2) digit among the participants. Using both the highest and the lowest length to width ratio found among the participants, a prosthetic finger was designed using a parametric model and fabricated using additive manufacturing. The mechanical design of the prosthetic finger utilized a crossed four bar linkage mechanism and its ROM was determined by Freudenstein’s equations. By simulating the different paths of the fingers, we demonstrate that parametrically modeled fingers outperform uniformly scaled fingers at matching a natural digit’s path.

Mechanical Design of Biomimetic Fish Robot Using LIPCA as Artificial Muscle

2006 ◽  
Vol 326-328 ◽  
pp. 1443-1446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tedy Wiguna ◽  
Seok Heo ◽  
Hoon Cheol Park ◽  
Nam Seo Goo
Keyword(s):  
Swimming Speed ◽  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Beat Frequency ◽  
Artificial Muscle ◽  
Linkage Mechanism ◽  
Fish Robot ◽  
Caudal Fin ◽  
Caudal Fin Shape ◽  
Swimming Test ◽  
Four Bar Linkage

This paper presents a mechanical design of biomimetic fish robot using the Lightweight Piezo-Composite Actuator (LIPCA). We have designed a mechanism for converting actuation of the LIPCA into caudal fin movement. The linkage mechanism consists of rack-pinion and four-bar linkage systems. Two kinds of caudal fins are fabricated such that the shapes resemble subcarangiform and ostraciiform caudal fin shape, respectively, and then attached to the linkage system. The swimming test using 300 Vpp input with 1 Hz to 3 Hz frequency was conducted to investigate the effect of tail beat frequency and shape of caudal fin on the swimming speed. The maximum swimming speed was reached when the device was operated at its natural swimming frequency. At the natural swimming frequency of 1.016 Hz, maximum swimming speeds were 1.267 cm/s and 1.041 cm/s for ostraciiform and subcarangiform caudal fin, respectively. The Strouhal numbers, which are a measure of thrust efficiency, were also calculated in order to examine thrust performance of the present biomimetic fish robot.

scholarly journals 3D Printed Robot Hand Structure Using Four-Bar Linkage Mechanism for Prosthetic Application

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (15) ◽  
pp. 4174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Aizat Abdul Wahit ◽  
Siti Anom Ahmad ◽  
Mohammad Hamiruce Marhaban ◽  
Chikamune Wada ◽  
Lila Iznita Izhar
Keyword(s):  
Load Test ◽  
Human Hand ◽  
Robot Hand ◽  
Linkage Mechanism ◽  
Design Problems ◽  
Joint Protection ◽  
Structural Details ◽  
Motion Range ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Four Bar Linkage

Trans-radial prosthesis is a wearable device that intends to help amputees under the elbow to replace the function of the missing anatomical segment that resembles an actual human hand. However, there are some challenging aspects faced mainly on the robot hand structural design itself. Improvements are needed as this is closely related to structure efficiency. This paper proposes a robot hand structure with improved features (four-bar linkage mechanism) to overcome the deficiency of using the cable-driven actuated mechanism that leads to less structure durability and inaccurate motion range. Our proposed robot hand structure also took into account the existing design problems such as bulky structure, unindividual actuated finger, incomplete fingers and a lack of finger joints compared to the actual finger in its design. This paper presents the improvements achieved by applying the proposed design such as the use of a four-bar linkage mechanism instead of using the cable-driven mechanism, the size of an average human hand, five-fingers with completed joints where each finger is moved by motor individually, joint protection using a mechanical stopper, detachable finger structure from the palm frame, a structure that has sufficient durability for everyday use and an easy to fabricate structure using 3D printing technology. The four-bar linkage mechanism is the use of the solid linkage that connects the actuator with the structure to allow the structure to move. The durability was investigated using static analysis simulation. The structural details and simulation results were validated through motion capture analysis and load test. The motion analyses towards the 3D printed robot structure show 70–98% similar motion range capability to the designed structure in the CAD software, and it can withstand up to 1.6 kg load in the simulation and the real test. The improved robot hand structure with optimum durability for prosthetic uses was successfully developed.

Optimal Control of a Flexible Mechanism Using a Combined Feedforward-Feedback Strategy: Simulation and Experiment

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hubertus v. Stein ◽  
Heinz Ulbrich
Keyword(s):  
Optimal Control ◽  
Control Strategy ◽  
System Performance ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Linkage Mechanism ◽  
Additional Degree ◽  
Control Approach ◽  
Feedback Optimal Control ◽  
Four Bar Linkage

Abstract Due to the elasticity of the links in modern high speed mechanisms, increasing operating speeds often lead to undesirable vibrations, which may render a required accuracy unattainable or, even worse, lead to a failure of the whole process. The dynamic effects e.g. may lead to intolerable deviations from the reference path or even to the instability of the system. Instead of suppressing the vibration by a stiffer design, active control methods may greatly improve the system performance and lead the way to a reduction of the mechanism’s weight. We investigate a four-bar-linkage mechanism and show that by introducing an additional degree of freedom for a controlled actuator and providing a suitable control strategy, the dynamically induced inaccuracies can be substantially reduced. The modelling of the four-bar-linkage mechanism as a hybrid multi body system and the modelling of the complete system (including the actuator) is briefly explained. From the combined feedforward-feedback optimal control approach presented in (v. Stein, Ulbrich, 1998) a time-varying output control law is derived that leads to a very good system performance for this linear discrete time-varying system. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the applied control strategy.

scholarly journals Feeding mechanics and bite force modelling of the skull of Dunkleosteus terrelli , an ancient apex predator

2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip S.L Anderson ◽  
Mark W Westneat
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Prey Capture ◽  
Mouth Opening ◽  
Biomechanical Model ◽  
Bite Force ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Large Individual ◽  
Linkage Mechanism ◽  
Feeding Mechanics ◽  
Four Bar Linkage

Placoderms are a diverse group of armoured fishes that dominated the aquatic ecosystems of the Devonian Period, 415–360 million years ago. The bladed jaws of predators such as Dunkleosteus suggest that these animals were the first vertebrates to use rapid mouth opening and a powerful bite to capture and fragment evasive prey items prior to ingestion. Here, we develop a biomechanical model of force and motion during feeding in Dunkleosteus terrelli that reveals a highly kinetic skull driven by a unique four-bar linkage mechanism. The linkage system has a high-speed transmission for jaw opening, producing a rapid expansion phase similar to modern fishes that use suction during prey capture. Jaw closing muscles power an extraordinarily strong bite, with an estimated maximal bite force of over 4400 N at the jaw tip and more than 5300 N at the rear dental plates, for a large individual (6 m in total length). This bite force capability is the greatest of all living or fossil fishes and is among the most powerful bites in animals.

A New Method for Determining the Effects of Structural Flexibility on the Dynamic Behavior of High Speed Mechanisms

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Yuan ◽  
J. Rastegar
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Behavior ◽  
High Speed ◽  
New Method ◽  
Structural Flexibility ◽  
Structural Elements ◽  
Dynamics Modeling ◽  
Linkage Mechanism ◽  
Active Materials ◽  
Response Characteristics ◽  
Four Bar Linkage

Abstract A new method for the analysis of the effects of structural flexibility on the dynamic behavior of mechanical systems is presented. The developed method is in most part based on “tracing” the “propagation” of the effects of the high frequency motion requirements on the dynamic response characteristics of machines with structural flexibilities, particularly those with closed-loop kinematic structures. The method considers the “filtering” action of structural elements with flexibility. Such filtering of higher frequency motions is shown to have a predictable effect on the steady state motion of such mechanical system. The main advantage of the developed method is that the effects of such flexibilities can be determined without the need to perform the usual dynamics modeling and computer simulations. The method is shown to be very simple and readily implementable. The method is applied to a four-bar linkage mechanism with a longitudinally flexible coupler link. The obtained results are shown to be highly accurate as compared to those obtained by computer simulation. The application of the method to systematic design of machines with structural flexibility for high speed and precision operation, optimal integration of smart (active) materials into the structure of such machines, and some related issues are discussed.

KINETOSTATIC ANALYSIS FOR FOUR-BAR LINKAGE MECHANISM OF PROSTHETIC KNEE JOINT

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (04) ◽  
pp. 1950018 ◽  
Author(s):  
XUHUI LIU ◽  
TIANTIAN GUO ◽  
JIAHAO ZHANG ◽  
GUANG YANG ◽  
LUCHAN SUN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knee Joint ◽  
Group Method ◽  
Linkage Mechanism ◽  
Analysis Software ◽  
Prosthetic Knee ◽  
Damping Effect ◽  
D’Alembert Principle ◽  
Prosthetic Knee Joint ◽  
Four Bar Linkage ◽  
The Relationship

In this paper, a mathematical model of four-bar linkage mechanism is built to investigate the prosthetic knee joint, by means of the bar group method, and the motion of the prosthetic knee joint is simulated by motion analysis software. In the state of motion of the four linkage mechanism, to the moving component of the mechanism, the relationship between the moving displacement, velocity and acceleration are obtained. On the basis of the above investigation, dynamic statics analysis for the moving component of four-bar linkage mechanism are completed by the ‘D’Alembert principle. The research results show that, with the change of the rotating angle of the active part, the counter-force of rotating pair and the balance torque on active component are all changeable, which will provide a theoretical basis for the design of prosthetic knee joint mechanism with longer life and better damping effect.

scholarly journals Design of a High-Speed Prosthetic Finger Driven by Peano-HASEL Actuators

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Yoder ◽  
Nicholas Kellaris ◽  
Christina Chase-Markopoulou ◽  
Devon Ricken ◽  
Shane K. Mitchell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Kinematic Model ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Dc Motor ◽  
Self Healing ◽  
Force Output ◽  
Prosthetic Limbs ◽  
Neuromuscular Systems ◽  
Soft Actuators ◽  
Prosthetic Finger

Current designs of powered prosthetic limbs are limited by the nearly exclusive use of DC motor technology. Soft actuators promise new design freedom to create prosthetic limbs which more closely mimic intact neuromuscular systems and improve the capabilities of prosthetic users. This work evaluates the performance of a hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) soft actuator for use in a prosthetic hand. We compare a linearly-contracting HASEL actuator, termed a Peano-HASEL, to an existing actuator (DC motor) when driving a prosthetic finger like those utilized in multi-functional prosthetic hands. A kinematic model of the prosthetic finger is developed and validated, and is used to customize a prosthetic finger that is tuned to complement the force-strain characteristics of the Peano-HASEL actuators. An analytical model is used to inform the design of an improved Peano-HASEL actuator with the goal of increasing the fingertip pinch force of the prosthetic finger. When compared to a weight-matched DC motor actuator, the Peano-HASEL and custom finger is 10.6 times faster, has 11.1 times higher bandwidth, and consumes 8.7 times less electrical energy to grasp. It reaches 91% of the maximum range of motion of the original finger. However, the DC motor actuator produces 10 times the fingertip force at a relevant grip position. In this body of work, we present ways to further increase the force output of the Peano-HASEL driven prosthetic finger system, and discuss the significance of the unique properties of Peano-HASELs when applied to the field of upper-limb prosthetic design. This approach toward clinically-relevant actuator performance paired with a substantially different form-factor compared to DC motors presents new opportunities to advance the field of prosthetic limb design.

scholarly journals Rigorous results in existence and selection of Saffman–Taylor fingers by kinetic undercooling

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-116
Author(s):  
XUMING XIE
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Rigorous Results ◽  
Engineering Mathematics ◽  
Stokes Lines ◽  
Kinetic Undercooling ◽  
Finger Width ◽  
Linear Differential ◽  
Finger Tip ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Hele Shaw Cell

The selection of Saffman–Taylor fingers by surface tension has been extensively investigated. In this paper, we are concerned with the existence and selection of steadily translating symmetric finger solutions in a Hele–Shaw cell by small but non-zero kinetic undercooling (ε2). We rigorously conclude that for relative finger width λ near one half, symmetric finger solutions exist in the asymptotic limit of undercooling ε2 → 0 if the Stokes multiplier for a relatively simple non-linear differential equation is zero. This Stokes multiplier S depends on the parameter $\alpha \equiv \frac{2 \lambda -1}{(1-\lambda)}\epsilon^{-\frac{4}{3}}$ and earlier calculations have shown this to be zero for a discrete set of values of α. While this result is similar to that obtained previously for Saffman–Taylor fingers by surface tension, the analysis for the problem with kinetic undercooling exhibits a number of subtleties as pointed out by Chapman and King (2003, The selection of Saffman–Taylor fingers by kinetic undercooling, Journal of Engineering Mathematics, 46, 1–32). The main subtlety is the behaviour of the Stokes lines at the finger tip, where the analysis is complicated by non-analyticity of coefficients in the governing equation.

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