SBIR Phase I: Wearable Grippers for Hemiplegic Patients

这个项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是巨大的。中风是导致长期严重残疾的主要原因之一。仅在美国，每年就有近80万人患有中风，其中55%至75%的存活中风患者患有慢性肢体损伤，严重残疾，阻碍了生活质量。这种可穿戴式抓手将使这些专利能够执行基本的日常任务，如稳定地握住助行器以进行功能移动、打开瓶盖、穿衣服或向玻璃杯中倒水。通过重新控制基本的日常活动，不仅生活质量可以提高，独立感也可以帮助重建患者？自信。在某些情况下，这甚至可以加速功能恢复。这款可穿戴式抓手的设计具有流行消费电子产品的外观和手感，可以很容易地获得患者的接受，从而受益于它。它的价位也将在与消费电子产品相当的范围内。凭借创新的机电设计和智能算法，这款可穿戴式抓手可以学习佩戴者的具体需求？S，一只真正自适应的帮手。这个小企业创新研究一期项目的目标是开发一种紧凑型机器人抓手，可以戴在S的手臂上，帮助佩戴者执行日常家务。这款可穿戴机器人抓取器的第一个目标用户群将是失去半边身体控制的偏瘫患者。这种轻巧的机器人抓手可以佩戴在偏瘫患者的患臂上，并与功能臂协调工作，执行各种日常家务。带有触觉反馈的仪表式腕带可以佩戴在功能臂上，它可以感知手臂的运动和肌肉张力；传感器信号被传输到机器人夹持器，后者可以解释腕带信号并进行相应的操作。腕带中的触觉反馈使佩戴者能够感觉到夹爪的移动，并在需要时进行调整。这款产品必须重量轻，佩戴方便，并将不适降至最低。将探索在可穿戴消费设备中常用的紧凑型传感器、执行器和软塑料。将建立一个原型，并将分析初步测试数据，以确定这一突破性产品的关键设计要求和工程规范。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be significant. Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term severe disability. In US alone almost 800,000 people suffer from stroke each year, with 55% to 75% surviving stroke patients have chronic limb impairment that hinders quality of life with significant disability. This wearable gripper will enable these patents to perform basic daily tasks such as holding a walker stably for functional mobility, opening the cap of a jar, putting on clothes, or pouring water into a glass. By regaining control of basic daily activities, not only the quality of life can improve, but the sense of independence can also help rebuild patients? confidence. In certain cases, this could even accelerate functional recovery. The wearable gripper will be designed with look and feel of popular consumer electronics that can easily gain acceptance of patients that can benefit from it. Its price point will also be in the range comparable to consumer electronics. With innovative electromechanical design and intelligent algorithm, this wearable gripper can learn the wearer?s specific need, a truly adaptive helping hand. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is aimed to develop a compact robotic gripper that can be worn on a person?s arm to assist the wearer in performing daily routine chores. The first target user group of this wearable robotic gripper will be hemiplegic patients who lost control of half side of the body. This lightweight robotic gripper can be worn on the affected arm of a hemiplegic patient and work with the functional arm in a coordinated manner to perform a variety of daily chores. An instrumented wristband with haptic feedback can be worn on the functional arm that senses movement of the arm as well as muscle tension; sensor signals are transmitted to the robotic gripper that can interpret wristband signals and maneuver accordingly. The haptic feedback in the wristband allows the wearer to sense gripper movement and make adjustment if needed. This product must be lightweight and easy to wear with minimal discomfort. Compact sensors, actuators and soft plastics commonly used in wearable consumer devices will be explored. A prototype will be built and preliminary test data will be analyzed to identify key design requirements and engineering specifications for this groundbreaking product.