Abstract
Safety is a significant evaluation index of rehabilitation medical devices and a significant precondition for practical application. However, the safety evaluation of cable-driven rehabilitation robots has not been reported, so this work aims to study the safety evaluation methods and evaluation index of cable-driven rehabilitation robots. A bionic muscle cable (BM cable) is proposed to construct a bionic muscle cable-driven lower limb rehabilitation robot (BM-CDLR). The working principle of the BM-CDLR is introduced. The safety performance factors are defined based on the mechanical analysis of the BM-CDLR. The structural safety evaluation index and the use safety evaluation index of the BM-CDLR are given by comprehensively considering the safety performance factors and a proposed speed influence function. The effect of the structural parameters of the elastic elements in the BM cable on the safety performance factors and safety of the BM-CDLR is analyzed and verified by numerical simulations and experimental studies. The results provide the basis for further study of the compliance control strategy and experiments of the human-machine interaction of the BM-CDLR.
Highlights
In recent decades, the aging speed of the global population has substantially increased [1,2].The various natural and unnatural causes have led to a rapid increase in the number of patients with movement disorders of the limbs, and the natural degradation of the basic motion functions of the elderly and other reasons [3,4,5] have caused the quality of life of a large number of people to decline, which severely reduces the desire of patients with movement disorders to pursue a happy life
In order to analyze the influence of the elastic elements in the BM cable on the safety of the bionic muscle cable-driven lower limb rehabilitation robot (BM-cable-driven lower limb rehabilitation robot (CDLR)), this study will take the specific BM-CDLR with the following structural parameters as an example for discussion: the positions of the pulleys are b1 = [500, 0, 800]T mm, b2 = [0, 0, 800]T mm, b3 = [0, 1680, 800]T mm, and b4 = [500, 1680, 800]T mm
Their maximum values are obviously increased. This is helpful to improve the safety of the BM-CDLR
Summary
The aging speed of the global population has substantially increased [1,2]. The various natural and unnatural causes (for example: stroke, hemiplegia, nervous system diseases, car accidents, etc.) have led to a rapid increase in the number of patients with movement disorders of the limbs, and the natural degradation of the basic motion functions of the elderly and other reasons [3,4,5] have caused the quality of life of a large number of people to decline, which severely reduces the desire of patients with movement disorders to pursue a happy life. The study of scientific and repeatable training rehabilitation equipment has important practical significance for the recovery of patients’ motion function [6]. Rehabilitation robots for human limbs mainly include exoskeleton-type and cable-driven-type rehabilitation robots, and they have their performance advantages and characteristics [7,8,9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
