Design of a Soft Robotic Elbow Sleeve with Passive and Intent-Controlled Actuation. 2017

Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
Evolution Innovation Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.

The provision of continuous passive, and intent-based assisted movements for neuromuscular training can be incorporated into a robotic elbow sleeve. The objective of this study is to propose the design and test the functionality of a soft robotic elbow sleeve in assisting flexion and extension of the elbow, both passively and using intent-based motion reinforcement. First, the elbow sleeve was developed, using elastomeric and fabric-based pneumatic actuators, which are soft and lightweight, in order to address issues of non-portability and poor alignment with joints that conventional robotic rehabilitation devices are faced with. Second, the control system was developed to allow for: (i) continuous passive actuation, in which the actuators will be activated in cycles, alternating between flexion and extension; and (ii) an intent-based actuation, in which user intent is detected by surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors attached to the biceps and triceps, and passed through a logic sequence to allow for flexion or extension of the elbow. Using this setup, the elbow sleeve was tested on six healthy subjects to assess the functionality of the device, in terms of the range of motion afforded by the device while in the continuous passive actuation. The results showed that the elbow sleeve is capable of achieving approximately 50% of the full range of motion of the elbow joint among all subjects. Next, further experiments were conducted to test the efficacy of the intent-based actuation on these healthy subjects. The results showed that all subjects were capable of achieving electromyography (EMG) control of the elbow sleeve. These preliminary results show that the elbow sleeve is capable of carrying out continuous passive and intent-based assisted movements. Further investigation of the clinical implementation of the elbow sleeve for the neuromuscular training of neurologically-impaired persons, such as stroke survivors, is needed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries

Related Publications

Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
July 2018, Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference,
Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
October 2018, Soft robotics,
Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
May 2024, Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.),
Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
October 2022, Bioinspiration & biomimetics,
Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
January 2010, Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference,
Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
January 2017, Science translational medicine,
Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
July 2023, Nature communications,
Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
July 2021, IEEE robotics and automation letters,
Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
October 2020, Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany),
Tze Hui Koh, and Nicholas Cheng, and Hong Kai Yap, and Chen-Hua Yeow
June 2024, Macromolecular rapid communications,
Copied contents to your clipboard!