Biomimetic Tactile Sensor for Prosthetics

描述(由申请人提供)：触觉反馈对于灵巧地使用手是必不可少的。致力于修复神经损伤的手的物理治疗师明白，触觉是最终手功能的关键指标。神经生理学家已经发现，握力的快速反射性调整对于处理物体是必不可少的，并依赖于通过脊髓的触觉反馈。自主机器人只能处理已知方向的刚性物体，特别是因为它们缺乏触觉反馈。开发遥操作机器人的工程师们已经证明，当振动触觉反馈通过“触觉显示器”提供给操作员的手时，性能会得到改善。所有这些应用中的限制因素是缺乏灵敏而坚固的传感器，这些传感器可以被整合到拟人化的机电手指中，并用于手需要发挥作用的多样化且往往是有害的环境中。我们已经开发并论证了新型仿生触觉传感器的基本可行性，这种传感器可提供对与滑动和纹理相关的法向力和剪切力以及微振动的宽动态范围传感。它们的所有传感元件和连接都位于手指的坚硬核心中，并由其保护，该核心覆盖着在机械和美观上类似于生物手指的皮肤、髓和指甲元件。在这个项目中，我们将完成材料和换能器性能的改进，并将它们与信号处理电子设备集成到独立的模块中。这些模块可以机械和电子方式集成到各种假肢和机器人手中，旨在为因创伤和疾病而失去正常手功能的患者提供功能。与公共卫生相关：大约10万美国人因创伤或手术截肢而失去一只或两只手臂或双手。由于缺乏用于触摸和握力调整的坚固传感器，机电假肢的发展一直受到阻碍。我们正在开发模仿人类手指的外观、机械性能和感觉能力的假肢。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Tactile feedback is essential for dexterous use of the hand. Physical therapists working to rehabilitate hands with neurological damage understand that tactile sensation is a key indicator of ultimate hand function. Neurophysiologists have identified that rapid reflexive adjustment of grip is essential for handling objects and depends on tactile feedback via the spinal cord. Autonomous robots can deal only with rigid objects in known orientations specifically because they lack tactile feedback. Engineers developing telerobotic manipulators have demonstrated improved performance when vibrotactile feedback is provided via "haptic displays" to the operator's hand. The limiting factor in all of these applications has been the absence of sensitive yet robust sensors that can be incorporated into anthropomorphic mechatronic fingers and used in the diverse and often hostile environments in which hands need to function. We have developed and demonstrated the basic feasibility of novel biomimetic tactile sensors that provide wide dynamic range sensing of normal and shear forces and microvibrations associated with slip and texture. All of their sensing elements and connections are located in and protected by the rigid core of a finger that is covered with skin, pulp and nail elements that are mechanically and cosmetically similar to biological fingers. In this project, we will complete the refinement of the material and transduction properties and integrate them with the signal processing electronics into self- contained modules. These modules can be incorporated mechanically and electronically into a variety of prosthetic and robotic hands intended to provide function for patients with loss of normal hand function as a result of trauma and disease. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Approximately 100,000 Americans are missing one or both arms or hands as a result of trauma or surgical amputation. The development of electromechanical replacement limbs has been hampered by the lack of robust sensors for touch and grip adjustment. We are developing prosthetic fingers that imitate the appearance, mechanical properties and sensory capabilities of human fingers.