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Improving Stability in Upper Limb Rehabilitation Using Variable Stiffness

  • SUNY Buffalo

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

In a robotic rehabilitation setup, patient's safety and interaction stability are critical throughout the therapy. This paper addresses the stability aspect by proposing a method to vary the endpoint stiffness using a variable impedance mechanism. The proposed device consists of permanent magnets in an antagonistic configuration that acts as springs and the variation in stiffness is achieved by modifying the separation between those magnets. This device is mounted on the end-effector of an admittance controlled robotic arm and tested with the help of healthy humans on a virtual maze traversal experiment consisting of both fine and gross motor regions. Moreover, the subjects are tested both in normal and simulated tremor conditions to verify the effectiveness of the device. The experimental results show that the VSM can not only suppress the high-frequency forces but can also reduce the interference of human endpoint stiffness in the stability of the robot.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2019 41st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2019
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages122-125
Number of pages4
ISBN (Electronic)9781538613115
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2019
Event41st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2019 - Berlin, Germany
Duration: Jul 23 2019Jul 27 2019

Publication series

NameProceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS
ISSN (Print)1557-170X

Conference

Conference41st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2019
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityBerlin
Period07/23/1907/27/19

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