Abstract
Human–robot interaction sensing is a compulsory feature in modern robotic systems where direct contact or close collaboration is desired. Rehabilitation and assistive robotics are fields where interaction forces are required for both safety and increased control performance of the device with a more comfortable experience for the user. In order to provide an efficient interaction feedback between the user and rehabilitation device, high performance sensing units are demanded. This work introduces a novel design of a multi-axis force sensor dedicated for measuring pelvis interaction forces in a rehabilitation exoskeleton device. The sensor is conceived such that it has different sensitivity characteristics for the three axes of interest having also movable parts in order to allow free rotations and limit crosstalk errors. Integrated sensor electronics make it easy to acquire and process data for a real-time distributed system architecture. Two of the developed sensors are integrated and tested in a complex gait rehabilitation device for safe and compliant control.
Highlights
The initial meaning of robotic systems was to substitute humans and execute precise operations in repetitive and complex industrial applications
Position based control was sufficient to accomplish most of assignments for industrial applications
One specific category of robotic systems that has as a main concern close human–robot interaction is rehabilitation and assistive robotics
Summary
The initial meaning of robotic systems was to substitute humans and execute precise operations in repetitive and complex industrial applications. Those robots were performing pick and place, welding, painting, assembling, packing and other tasks for manufacturing. While first robots had to work in strictly enclosed environments, novel ones come to work in close proximity to humans in a collaborative way [6,7]. One specific category of robotic systems that has as a main concern close human–robot interaction is rehabilitation and assistive robotics Those devices are intended to augment human strength, improve the quality of life for elderly and regain mobility for people with disorders due to diseases or accidents. The patient can profit of immediate and more intensive treatment while the therapist is exempted to perform heavy burden tasks
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