Conceptual design of a gripper for a first-aid robot

Abstract

First aid is the tentative care for anyone who is injured or ill before definitive medical care arrives. Advancements in technology offer robots the potential to be used extensively in first aid to replace human workers. Currently, many elderly people live alone and absence of care can increase risks of illness- or injury-induced unconsciousness. Due to this, it would be useful to investigate if robots could be employed to perform first-aid care. However, their application in aiding humans in such circumstances is still relatively rare due to complexities concerning safety, communication and ability to interact with humans. This thesis is part of a project to design a first-aid robot to manipulate an unconscious human from any position to the recovery position. The only direct contact with human is through gripper of the robot. An attempt to develop a conceptual design of cost-effective grippers has been undertaken. This will enable a robot to perform the handling and manipulation of human segments to achieve the recovery position. For the purpose of robotic application, a research into the feasibility of human body manipulation is being conducted. Initial stage of research is to identify the limit of physical robot-human interaction; the biomechanical characteristics of human body that decide these limits and essential gripper specifications required to theoretically carry out robot-human interactions to those limits. The research is focused on the geometric properties of various human body parts, defined as body segments, and the minimum gripper specification needed to manipulate these segments.
\nA novel systematic design approach has been applied to the gripper by utilizing a design tool known as the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ). Results
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\nobtained from this study have substantiated design work to derive an enhanced design solution, which will enable the gripper to perform delicate tasks. The gripper‟s main priorities have been identified and concluded that fundamental issues are: safely engaging human segments and preventing pain exceeding the recommended pain threshold. This work could form the basis of developing and integrating the First Aid Robotic System (FAROS) and pave a way for further developments and innovations.