FORCE LIMITATION WITH AUTOMATIC RETURN MECHANISM FOR RISK REDUCTION OF REHABILITATION ROBOTS

Noriyuki TEJIMA
Ritsumeikan University

Abstract

In this paper, a new mechanism to reduce the risk of rehabilitation robots contacting the human body is proposed. It was composed of a force limitation mechanism and a soft structure with anisotropic viscosity. A prototype was developed, and its basic features were experimentally evaluated. The size of the prototype was too bi g, but i t was confirmed that the new mechanism had many advantages. It could avoid a stronger force than a threshold level would affect a person. As the arrangement of the mechanism was not restricted to the robotic joints, the effect of posture of a robot upon the limitation force was able to be reduced to a certain degree (although not entirely). And, because elastic energy was consumed in the return process, it would not resonate.

Full Paper

Last modified: Thu Jan 21 10:38:39 PST 1999