Safety Evaluation and Experimental Study of a New Bionic Muscle Cable-Driven Lower Limb Rehabilitation Robot

Safety is a significant evaluation index of rehabilitation medical devices and a significant precondition for practical application. However, the safety evaluation of cable-driven rehabilitation robots has not been reported, so this work aims to study the safety evaluation methods and evaluation ind...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yan Lin Wang, Ke Yi Wang, Kui Cheng Wang, Zong Jun Mo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-12-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/24/7020
Description
Summary:Safety is a significant evaluation index of rehabilitation medical devices and a significant precondition for practical application. However, the safety evaluation of cable-driven rehabilitation robots has not been reported, so this work aims to study the safety evaluation methods and evaluation index of cable-driven rehabilitation robots. A bionic muscle cable (BM cable) is proposed to construct a bionic muscle cable-driven lower limb rehabilitation robot (BM-CDLR). The working principle of the BM-CDLR is introduced. The safety performance factors are defined based on the mechanical analysis of the BM-CDLR. The structural safety evaluation index and the use safety evaluation index of the BM-CDLR are given by comprehensively considering the safety performance factors and a proposed speed influence function. The effect of the structural parameters of the elastic elements in the BM cable on the safety performance factors and safety of the BM-CDLR is analyzed and verified by numerical simulations and experimental studies. The results provide the basis for further study of the compliance control strategy and experiments of the human-machine interaction of the BM-CDLR.
ISSN:1424-8220