I-Corps: Elastomeric Passive Transmission for Dynamic Adjustment of Mechanical Advantage

I-Corps：用于动态调整机械优势的弹性体被动传动

• 批准号: 1838514
• 负责人: Robert Shepherd
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: Cornell University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-07-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1838514&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Elastomeric; Passive; Transmission; Dynamic

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is based on a device which passively adjusts the mechanical advantage of a motor-driven actuator. This device, known as the Elastomeric Passive Transmission (EPT), improves the force and speed of tendon-driven actuation systems with minimal impact to their size, weight, and cost. Approximately 40,000 people per year suffer from major upper limb loss in the United States. The grip strength, grasping speed, and active degrees-of-freedom of even the most advanced prosthetic hands used by these patients pale in comparison to those of a human hand. User studies have shown that 90% of patients with myoelectric prostheses consider their prosthetic hand to be too slow and 79% consider it to be too heavy. By incorporating the EPT into their designs, prosthetic limb manufacturers can increase the force and speed of their devices with reduced cost and weight. In addition to improving the performance of prosthetics, the EPT has the potential to bring performance benefits to grippers and manipulators in the field of robotic automation.This I-Corps project is leverages advances in additive manufacturing to produce simple, low-cost components to improve the performance of electromechanical systems. Each EPT is a composite consisting of both hard and soft polyurethane sections. The hard polyurethane serves as the core of the EPT ensuring that it does not slip on the motor shaft. This core is surrounded by a ring of soft, stretchable struts which give the system its dynamic spooling radius. The EPTs are 3D-printed in two parts and bonded together during the final curing stage. This leads to a single component transmission system which can passively sense the environment and adjust the output of a motor to improve performance and control. The benefits of EPTs have been demonstrated through integration into a 3D-printed prosthetic hand which demonstrates high speed and high force in an inexpensive and lightweight package.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是基于一种被动调节电机驱动致动器的机械优势的装置。该装置被称为弹性体被动传动装置（EPT），它提高了腱驱动致动系统的力和速度，同时对它们的尺寸、重量和成本的影响最小。在美国，每年约有40，000人遭受严重的上肢损失。即使是这些患者使用的最先进的假手，其握力、抓握速度和主动自由度也与人手相比相形见绌。用户研究表明，90%的肌电假肢患者认为他们的假手太慢，79%的人认为它太重。通过将EPT纳入其设计中，假肢制造商可以增加其设备的力量和速度，同时降低成本和重量。除了提高假肢的性能外，EPT还可能为机器人自动化领域的夹具和机械手带来性能优势。I-Corps项目利用增材制造的进步来生产简单，低成本的组件，以提高机电系统的性能。每个EPT都是由硬聚氨酯和软聚氨酯部分组成的复合材料。硬聚氨酯作为EPT的核心，确保它不会在电机轴上滑动。这个核心被一圈柔软的、可拉伸的支柱所包围，这些支柱使系统具有动态缠绕半径。EPT被3D打印成两部分，并在最终固化阶段粘合在一起。这导致了单部件传动系统，其可以被动地感测环境并调节电机的输出以改善性能和控制。EPT的优势已经通过集成到3D打印假手中得到了证明，该假手在价格低廉且重量轻的包装中展示了高速度和高力量。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。