Abstract
This paper deals with the design of an optimal cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) for upper limb rehabilitation. The robot’s prescribed workspace is identified with the help of an occupational therapist based on three selected daily life activities, which are tracked using a Qualisys motion capture system. A preliminary architecture of the robot is proposed based on the analysis of the tracked trajectories of all the activities. A multi-objective optimization process using the genetic algorithm method is then performed, where the cable tensions and the robot size are selected as the objective functions to be minimized. The cables tensions are bounded between two limits, where the lower limit ensures a positive tension in the cables at all times and the upper limit represents the maximum torque of the motor. A sensitivity analysis is then performed using the Monte Carlo method to yield the optimal design selected out of the non-dominated solutions, forming the obtained Pareto front. The robot with the highest robustness toward the disturbances is identified, and its dexterity and elastic stiffness are calculated to investigate its performance.
Highlights
Typical rehabilitation is based on the manual assistance performed by a physiotherapist
This paper proposes an optimized structure of a cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) able to move the patient’s impaired member along some paths, prescribed by an occupational therapist [6]
The actuator positioning in these specific coordinates related to the points Movement 1 (M1) and Movement 3 (M3) should be done with the appropriate precision to avoid disturbance
Summary
Typical rehabilitation is based on the manual assistance performed by a physiotherapist. Its goal is to help patients with motor impairments totally or partially regain their functional abilities. To ensure the effectiveness of this therapy and improve its quality, the physiotherapist needs to perform repetitive motions [1]. The physiotherapist’s performance decreases with time, and the consistency of reproducing the movements is not guaranteed [1]. Rehabilitation robots are known to have good repeatability and do not suffer from fatigue, which makes them a good alternative to manual rehabilitation [2,3,4]. Robots can assist and move the impaired member accurately and in a controlled manner. Robot sensors could be helpful in monitoring the patient’s movement and responsiveness to the treatment [5]
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