1,720,967 research outputs found
A Pneumatic HandHeld Device for Finger Active Tele-Rehabilitation
Full text linkThe objective of this paper is the development of a handheld, untethered device for active finger tele-rehabilitation. The device has the capacity to measure both hand and finger motion, and to provide multimodal haptic feedback on each user’s finger. The paper will present the system functional design, inspired by the recent trend and requirements for haptic devices. The final part of the paper will discuss the early prototyping of the system, addressing both hardware and software aspects aimed at utilizing the device both as a tool for rehabilitation and for collecting data to objectively quantify the rehabilitation status
Design and Prototyping of BiSoft.Q, A 3-D Printed Bi-directional Deformable Actuator
Full text linkThe paper presents the design guidelines and early prototyping of a 3-D printed pressure-driven deformable actuator that can actively contract and expand. The actuator is entirely realized through FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) technologies and affordable materials. The basic working principle of the actuator is presented and its functional design is supported by preliminary considerations and final design guidelines. Additional information about the first prototype and a few practical details are provided
A bi-directional pneumatic actuator for sustainable robotic systems
No full textThis paper presents a novel soft pneumatic actuator that demonstrates a bi-directional linear behaviour when pressurized. The actuator design is based on the concept of antagonistic chambers and utilizes bellows and pleated geometries to achieve bidirectionality. A simplified analytical model with low computational cost is presented to estimate the actuator's behaviour in terms of stroke, exerted forces, and energy consumption. The model results are discussed to establish some design guidelines. An initial experimental phase is also discussed, aimed at prototyping using easily reproducible additive manufacturing techniques, including experimental results from isometric tests conducted on the actuator. The paper concludes with a comparison of the proposed solution with similar ones available in the literature and evaluates potential applications of the technology in the field of service robotics through a case study involving the development of an adaptive gripper mounted on a commercial robotic manipulator
PAL-HAND.Q: A Handheld Device for Bidirectional and Multimodal Haptic Interaction
No full textThis paper presents the design of a novel handheld device, named PAL-HAND.Q, that enables bidirectional and multimodal haptic interaction with a remote control unit. This device can receive inputs from the user and render both kinesthetic and tactile feedback on his fingers. This is achieved through a unique combination of deformable membranes filled with pressurized fluid and mini vibrating motors. These elements work in synergy with an integrated electro-pneumatic system which is used to control the kinesthetic feedback. These characteristics result in a compact, lightweight, and versatile device, that can be used, for instance, in rehabilitation, alternative forms of communication, and augmented/virtual reality scenarios. In conclusion, an early prototype is realized, and a few practical aspects are discussed as well
User Experience of PAL-HAND.Q, a Pneumatic Haptic Device for Finger-Level Gaming Interaction
No full textThis study investigates the usability and user experience of PAL-HAND.Q, a handheld haptic device designed to provide independent haptic feedback on each finger through an integrated electro-pneumatic system.
The device features five soft pneumatic membranes --one per finger-- enabling vibrotactile stimulation and
variable stiffness feedback. We conducted a usability study using two games that leverage the device's key
features: Tile Game, which emphasizes timed actions and finger coordination, and Airplane Game, which
integrates finger pressing with device orientation control. Twenty-five participants tested the system and completed questionnaires on usability, workload, game experience, haptic experience, and comfort. The results
indicate good usability, moderate perceived workload, and engaging interactions. Notably, the device demonstrated better performance in continuous control tasks compared to time-pressured precision tasks, suggesting its suitability for applications requiring sustained, smooth finger-level interaction. Overall, the findings demonstrate PAL-HAND.Q's effectiveness for finger-level gaming interaction and point to its potential applicability in other domains requiring portable, independent finger-level haptic control, such as virtual and augmented reality, rehabilitation, and interactive training systems
AGRIMARO.Q, A Service Robot for Precision Agriculture in Greenhouses
Full text linkThe paper presents a novel mobile robot for Precision Agriculture in protected cultivation, named AGRIMARO.Q (AGRIcultural MAte RObot) mainly characterized by a pseudo-omnidirectional mobility by means of three swerve drive units and an adjustable track. After presenting the robot design mainly in terms of track adjustment mechanism and wheel swerve drive sub-systems, the paper focuses on the kinematic model of the robot along with final considerations about its mobility in application cases
About the importance of revolute joints realization in force-sensitive drive interfaces for mobile robots and wheelchairs
Full text linkThis paper presents SensHB.Q, a cost-effective force-torque sensitive interface designed to control omnidirectional motorized systems such as mobile robots, industrial trolleys, and electric-powered wheelchairs. Force-torque-sensitive interfaces are considered more intuitive to use with respect to joysticks since they mimic the way we interact with objects. The main characteristic of SensHB.Q is the fact that measures three components of the applied wrench using only uniaxial load cells, avoiding the adoption of expensive multi-axis force-torque sensors. This work focuses on theexecutive design of this interface to understand the improvements that can be achieved by usingflexure hinges instead of conventional revolute joints in terms of measurement accuracy
Human-Machine Driving Interface for Omnidirectional Robots and Wheelchairs
No full textThis paper presents the development of a drive-interface for omnidirectional motorized systems like carts, mobile robots, lifting devices and electric powered wheelchairs. The goal of this research is to design an intuitive and reliable drive interface that is safe to use and cost-effective. This paper presents the concept and functional design of the sensorized handlebar. Moreover, the first prototype of the device is presented and tested with a preliminary experimental setup
A Sustainable, Bidirectional Soft Pneumatic Actuator for Robotic Systems
No full textBiSoft.Q is a bidirectional Soft Pneumatic Actuator that offers unique advantages such as compliance, lightness, no friction, low hysteresis, and low activation pressure. This paper investigates the air consumption of BiSoft.Q for its application in robotic systems. To estimate air consumption, a theoretical model is developed and then experimentally validated. The proposed model provides a foundation for future research on energy efficiency optimization of this promising actuator
Functional Design and Kinematic Analysis of a Novel 3RS End-Effector Robot for Wrist Rehabilitation and Assistance
No full textRobot-aided rehabilitation is increasingly important to meet the challenges posed by an ageing population and a global shortage of healthcare workers. This paper presents a 3RS (3 Revolute Joints - 1 Spherical Joint) end-effector robot for wrist joint rehabilitation and daily activity assistance. It assists flexion/extension and radial/ulnar deviation avoiding the problem of joint misalignment typical of exoskeletons and covering the workspace of the hand. The design parameters are tuned to ensure high dexterity and safe user interaction, laying a solid foundation for the development of a functional prototype
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