Clinical potential and design of programmable mechanical impedances for orthotic applications

Harwin, W. S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3928-3381, Leiber, L. O., Austwick, G. P.G. and Dislis, C. (1998) Clinical potential and design of programmable mechanical impedances for orthotic applications. Robotica, 16 (5). pp. 523-530. ISSN 0263-5747 doi: 10.1017/S026357479800068X

Abstract/Summary

A person with a moderate or severe motor disability will often use specialised or adapted tools to assist their interaction with a general environment. Such tools can assist with the movement of a person's arms so as to facilitate manipulation, can provide postural supports, or interface to computers, wheelchairs or similar assistive technologies. Designing such devices with programmable stiffness and damping may offer a better means for the person to have effective control of their surroundings. This paper addresses the possibility of designing some assistive technologies using impedance elements that can adapt to the user and the circumstances. Two impedance elements are proposed. The first, based on magnetic particle brakes, allows control of the damping coefficient in a passive element. The second, based on detuning the P-D controller in a servo-motor mechanism, allows control of both stiffness and damping. Such a mechanical impedance can be modulated to the conditions imposed by the task in hand. The limits of linear theory are explored and possible uses of programmable impedance elements are proposed.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/19024
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Biological Sciences > Department of Bio-Engineering
Uncontrolled Keywords	mechanical impedance, clinical potential, motor disability, orthotic application
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
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