Preliminary Study on Analysis of Pinching Motion Actuated by Electro-Active Polymers

Authors: Doo W. Lee, Soo J. Lee, Bye R. Yoon, Jae Y. Jho, Kyehan Rhee

Abstract:

Hand exoskeletons have been developed in order to assist daily activities for disabled and elder people. A figure exoskeleton was developed using ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuators, and the performance of it was evaluated in this study. In order to study dynamic performance of a finger dummy performing pinching motion, force generating characteristics of an IPMC actuator and pinching motion of a thumb and index finger dummy actuated by IMPC actuators were analyzed. The blocking force of 1.54 N was achieved under 4 V of DC. A thumb and index finger dummy, which has one degree of freedom at the proximal joint of each figure, was manufactured by a three dimensional rapid prototyping. Each figure was actuated by an IPMC actuator, and the maximum fingertip force was 1.18 N. Pinching motion of a dummy was analyzed by two video cameras in vertical top and horizontal left end view planes. A figure dummy powered by IPMC actuators could perform flexion and extension motion of an index figure and a thumb.

Keywords: Finger exoskeleton, ionic polymer metal composite, flexion and extension, motion analysis.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1092520

References:

[1] Gopura RARC andKiguchi K. Mechanical designs of active upper-limb exoskeleton robots:State-of-the-art and design difficulties.Proceedings of the 2009 IEEE 11th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics; Jun 23-26; Kyoto, Japan: IEEE; 2009. p. 178-87.
[2] Mulas M, Folgheraiter M and Gini G. An EMG-controlled exoskeleton for hand rehabilitation.Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE9th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics; Jun 28-Jul 1; Chicago, USA: IEEE; 2005. p. 371-4.
[3] Sarakoglou I, Tsagarakis N and Caldwell D. Occupational and physical therapy using a hand exoskeleton based exerciser. Proceedings of 2004 IEEE/RSJ International Conference onintelligent Robots and Systems; Sept 28-Oct 2; Sendai, Japan: IEEE; 2004. p. 2973-8.
[4] Wege A and Hommel G. Development and control of a hand exoskeleton for rehabilitation of hand injuries. Proceedings of the 2005 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems; Aug 2-6; Berlin, Germany; IEEE; 2005. p. 3046-51.
[5] Lucas L, DiCicco M, Matsuoka Y. An EMG-controlled hand exoskeleton for natural pinching. J Rob Mechatron 2004;16:482-8.
[6] Sasaki D, Noritsugu T,Takaiwa M and Yamamoto H. Wearable power assist device for hand grasping using pneumatic artificial rubber muscle. Proceedings of the 2004 IEEE International Workshop onRobot and Human
[7] Lughmani WA, Jho JY, Lee JY and Rhee K. Modeling of bending behavior of IPMC beams using concentrated ion boundary layer. Int J PrecEngManuf 2009;10:131-9.