Biomechatronics design of a novel artificial arm

Abstract

This paper presents a biomechatronic approach to the design and fabrication of an artificial arm, focusing on designing artificial shoulder, biceps, wrist and hand. The proposed design provides a novel tool towards upper limb amputee rehabilitation process. Detail 3D designs of the artificial arm are described including an elbow powered by a car's power window motor, DC motor powered wrist and a string actuated Artificial Hand Gripper (AHG) with 5 artificial fingers which acts as slave controlled by a Smart Glove (master). The AHG incorporates a master-slave system which proven suitable for Mirror Visual Feedback (MVF) therapy experimented on subject towards the completion of this research. There are many hand prostheses which is commercially available, however, due to the disadvantages such as weight, expensive and complex mechanism, this paper proposed new ideas on problem solving by providing an artificial arm which gives good cosmetic appearance, functional, low-cost and users friendly.