3D Printed Soft Fluidic Actuator for an Assistive Hand Exoskeleton Device

Title

3D Printed Soft Fluidic Actuator for an Assistive Hand Exoskeleton Device

 Author

Koiliaris, Panayiotis (TU Delft Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering)

Contributor

Plettenburg, D.H. (mentor) ORCID 0000-0003-1022-5855
Bos, R.A. (mentor) ORCID 0000-0001-7251-5941
van der Helm, F.C.T. (graduation committee)
Goosen, J.F.L. (graduation committee) ORCID 0000-0001-5709-1845

 Degree granting institution

Delft University of Technology

 Programme

Mechanical Engineering | BioMechanical Design

 Date

2018-01-31

 Abstract

In the following study, a new concept of an assistive hand exoskeleton device for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients is presented. Due to the nature of this disease (causes progressive muscle degeneration from a young age of five years old), the requirements for such a device are very demanding, with extreme space and weight limitations, as well as high generated forces. The idea that is presented, is a 3D-printed soft hydraulic actuator that can be used to actuate such a demanding device. Different actuator prototypes have been prepared and tested, with a maximum generated force of around 0.4N. The outcome force does not fulfill the functional requirements that is 1-3N, but space, range of motion (ROM) and weight requirements have been met. In addition, the author demonstrates a complete design of a single-part, 3D-printed assistive hand exoskeleton device, with both the hydraulic circuit and the soft hydraulic actuators embedded in it. Despite the functional requirements that haven’t been fulfilled, the idea of a single-part 3D-printed hand exoskeleton device is beneficial in simplicity, required space, cosmetic appearance, as well as the overall weight that was estimated to be no more than 150gr. Finally, there is a discussion regarding the future steps that the author suggests to increase the maximum generated force of the soft actuators and therefore the development of the first single-part, 3D-printed hand exoskeleton.

 Subject

Soft actuators
3D Printing
Hand exoskeleton
Duchenne muscular dystrophy

 To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:d13fa3ba-67d0-4161-a8b8-ea8301feb617

 Part of collection

Student theses

 Document type

master thesis

 Rights

© 2018 Panayiotis Koiliaris
Files
PDF Master_Thesis_report.pdf 2.42 MB
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