Development and Characterization of Seamless Actuators for Medical Applications

The current interest on soft robotics and their application in rehabilitation practices around the world has caused different research groups to study and implement different compliant material for the fabrication of soft actuators for hand rehabilitation. One of the ways to do this, is the use of t

Project Title

Development and Characterization of Seamless Actuators for Medical Applications

Project Area of Specialization

Robotics

Project Summary

The current interest on soft robotics and their application in rehabilitation practices around the world has caused different research groups to study and implement different compliant material for the fabrication of soft actuators for hand rehabilitation. One of the ways to do this, is the use of textile fabric for the manufacturing of the soft actuator. Some work has been done is this regard but this field still remains relatively unexplored and so for the final year project, development and characterization of a seamless actuators for rehabilitation purpose has been selected.

Previously, rigid linkages were used for hand rehabilitation, which presented two major drawbacks.

• alignment of the linkages with the finger was a challenge as mis-alignment led to the actuator not working.
• they caused discomfort to the wearer and also required a professional setting for their use.

Due to the above mentioned problems, textile based soft pneumatic actuators are chosen which will not only mitigate the effects of the above issues but will also provide a unique and effective way for producing soft actuators. At the end of this project, a wearable soft pneumatic seamless actuator will be constructed that will support the rehabilitation of patients suffering from complete or partial loss of movement in upper body extremities by assisting in finger bending and extension.

Project Objectives

The objectives of this project are as follows:

• To develop soft actuators based on seamless technology and perform their complete characterization.
• To maximize the tip force that a single actuator can exert on an object with the least amount of air pressure.
• To maximize the bend angle of a single actuator in the profile of a finger with the minimum pressure requirement.
• To bring forth the use of textile and its different technology which can be used for some technical purpose also.

Project Implementation Method

The focus of this project is the development and characterization of seamless pneumatic actuators by varying different parameters for the hand rehabilitation of stroke patients. The samples being considered in this study are textile-based seamless knitted actuators. All the knitted samples will be weft knitted and developed using flatbed knitting machine. The two motions of the actuator to be considered for evaluation are its bending and extension.

• Initially, multiple samples will be made on the machine by varying the type of yarns used to make the actuators.
• Once the seamless structures are ready, they will be inserted with a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) bladder to make a pneumatic actuator.
• These pneumatic actuators will be tested for bend angle and tip force on the test rig which will be made.

The main component of this project that is the seamless actuator will be made on SHIMA SEIKISSR 112 knitting machine which is available in the university. TheSSR112 is a computerized flat knitting machine also known as fully fashioned knitting machine with a knitting width of 45inch(114cm) and multi-gauge of 14.

The performance of the actuators will be tested on the test rig. Once the actuators are pressurized, they will begin to bend and the corresponding angle will be measured by analysing it through an image processing software. Similarly, the tip force will be measured when the tip of the actuator comes in contact with a force sensor when pressurized.

Benefits of the Project

Once completed, this project can offer a wide range of applications for medical purposes especially in rehabilitation exercises as the single finger actuator can be duplicated for each finger and thumb to create an assistive glove. Some important benefits are mentioned below:

• Using the seamless technology, a new way for the fabrication of soft actuators will be explored.
• This technique will also help in reducing the cost of manufacturing of actuators.
• By developing pneumatic actuators, the sustainability requirement will also be met since air is freely available and can be discarded after use without difficulty.
• Since physical rehabilitation is expensive and sometimes require clinical setting with a professional present, this glove can help to eliminate these things thus reducing the amount of money a patient or his/her family spent on different rehabilitation processes.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

After recognizing the set of parameters which will be altered to produce a seamless actuator, these actuators will be constructed on the knitting machine. Few of the parameters are mentioned below:

• Knit stitch type.
• Stitch density of top and bottom layer.
• Type of yarn used to construct the top and bottom layer.

The end product will be a soft pneumatic seamless finger actuator, which will be connected via tube to a pump for actuation. Through different testing, the effect of above parameters will be analysed on the actuator’s performance.

In the future, once this seamless actuator is developed, it can be integrated into a glove for hand rehabilitation and assistive applicatioons after going through the required testing.

Final Deliverable of the Project

Hardware System

Core Industry

Manufacturing

Other Industries

Medical , Health

Core Technology

Robotics

Other Technologies

Wearables and Implantables

Sustainable Development Goals

Good Health and Well-Being for People, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Required Resources

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