The Construction of a Forearm Interface with a Wrist Brace for the Barrett Medical Proficio Robot
Session Number
B08
Advisor(s)
James Patton, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Location
B-115
Start Date
28-4-2016 8:50 AM
End Date
28-4-2016 9:15 AM
Abstract
Barrett Medical Inc.’s Proficio rehabilitation robot has the ability to improve the lives of many stroke patients with impaired upper extremity function through techniques such as error augmentation and negative viscosity. However, the current forearm segment of the Proficio robot prevents some stroke patients with weak grip from using it and inhibits natural arm movement. In this project, we constructed a forearm interface for the Proficio robot in an attempt to combat these shortcomings. We tried to make the interface as comfortable for the user as possible and lightweight to enable more realistic arm movement. This resulted in an interface with a carbon fiber tube mounted to the Proficio which extends to a wrist brace to control the robot rather than a handle. The wrist brace is attached to a nylon screw which allows more flexibility for the user's arm movement. In future development, the design of the interface could be improved to make it more streamlined and polished, with only one piece connecting the carbon fiber tube and the wrist brace.
The Construction of a Forearm Interface with a Wrist Brace for the Barrett Medical Proficio Robot
B-115
Barrett Medical Inc.’s Proficio rehabilitation robot has the ability to improve the lives of many stroke patients with impaired upper extremity function through techniques such as error augmentation and negative viscosity. However, the current forearm segment of the Proficio robot prevents some stroke patients with weak grip from using it and inhibits natural arm movement. In this project, we constructed a forearm interface for the Proficio robot in an attempt to combat these shortcomings. We tried to make the interface as comfortable for the user as possible and lightweight to enable more realistic arm movement. This resulted in an interface with a carbon fiber tube mounted to the Proficio which extends to a wrist brace to control the robot rather than a handle. The wrist brace is attached to a nylon screw which allows more flexibility for the user's arm movement. In future development, the design of the interface could be improved to make it more streamlined and polished, with only one piece connecting the carbon fiber tube and the wrist brace.