Rapid Prototyping of Rehabilitation Aids for the Physically Disabled

快速成型的方法非常适合于康复设备。 由于每个人都需要康复设备的独特性能和功能，因此必须快速设计和生产针对每个人的设备。 该项目正在研究一种完全集成的被动机械康复设备的设计和原型制作方法。 该办法包括：对人体肢体的形状和性能进行定量评估;辅助设备的设计;使用虚拟原型对设备进行评估;消费者和治疗师的反馈;设备的实际原型;设备的功能和性能评估;以及基于性能的重新设计。 该产品的贡献包括：开发用于评估人的表现的新的计算机工具;一类新的超弹性材料的制造技术;将工具纳入康复装置的快速原型系统;以及开发用于最终产品的系统评价的机制。

The methods of rapid prototyping are ideally suited to rehabilitation devices. Because each person requires unique performance and function in a rehabilitation device, devices specific to each person must be rapidly designed and produced. This project is investigating a completely integrated approach to the design and prototyping of passive mechanical rehabilitation devices. The approach involves: the quantitative assessment of the form and performance of human limbs; the design of the assistive device; evaluation of the device using virtual prototyping; feedback from the consumer and therapist; actual prototyping of the device; evaluation of the function and performance of the device; and redesign based on performance. The contributions of the product include: the development of new computer-based tools for the assessment of human performance; a manufacturing technique for a new class of hyperelastic materials; the integration of tools into a rapid prototyping system for rehabilitation devices; and development of mechanisms for systematic evaluation of the final product.