Design of an Exoskeletal Prototype to Contribute to the Partial Rehabilitation of the Upper-Limb

Abstract

Rehabilitation processes are very important to recover the movements of the limbs of the human body, but in many countries where technology is very scarce, rehabilitation procedures are performed traditionally; that is why the objective of this research is to design an exoskeleton prototype that contributes to the rehabilitation of patients with partial mobility of the upper limbs. For the development of the prototype, the VDI 2206 methodology is applied, where the research is divided into mechanical systems and electronic systems. For the design of the mechanical structure, it is considered that the links are adjustable to achieve a greater scope of use, whose parameters are for patients whose height is in the range of 155 cm to 175cm; the development of the robotic structure is designed in SolidWorks software. For the electronic design, EMG sensors and triaxial accelerometers are considered to detect the movements that the patient wants to perform. Also, a circuit with an LCD screen is made so that the specialist can program the routines according to the patient’s requirements. The results obtained after being subjected to a stress analysis simulation are that the structure can support a maximum weight of 76 kg, which is equivalent to a person whose height is 175cm, and the suitable material is 6061 aluminum alloy; the results of the electronic design show the good interaction of the sensors with the controller as it performs the movements of the actuators properly.