Mechatronics System Design and Implementation of a Pneumatic Hand Rehabilitation Device

Year 2024, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 121 - 130, 27.09.2024

Emre Tuğberk Gülnergiz

Abstract

This study presents the development of a mechatronic device for an additively manufactured Pneumatic Artificial Muscle (PAM) rehabilitation orthosis. Within this scope, the system's electro-pneumatic, mechanical, control, and software designs have been designed and implemented. The device, intended to directly interact with both patients and therapists within the bio-mechatronic process, is equipped with an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI). Utilizing a FlexSensor to measure hand flexion/extension angles, the device employs a solenoid valve, along with a trigger relay, for the inflation and deflation of the orthosis. During the electronic design phase, challenges such as interference and latency were mitigated through the implementation of isolations in the design. Employing a PD (Proportion-Derivative) control loop on the ATmega328 microcontroller, control parameters were determined empirically. By excluding a compressor pump inside the device, a lightweight, portable, and cost-effective system was accomplished. While potential enhancements discussed in the conclusion will be considered in future studies, the current prototype effectively fulfills the project objectives.

Keywords

Pneumatic Artificial Muscle, Hand Rehabilitation, Mechatronic System Integration

References

• Iqbal, J., Khan, H., Tsagarakis, N. G., & Caldwell, D. G. (2014). A novel exoskeleton robotic system for hand rehabilitation – conceptualization to prototyping. Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, 34(2), 79–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbe.2014.01.003
• Chiri, A., Vitiello, N., Giovacchini, F., Roccella, S., Vecchi, F., & Carrozza, M. C. (2012). Mechatronic design and characterization of the index finger module of a hand exoskeleton for post-stroke rehabilitation. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 17(5), 884–894. https://doi.org/10.1109/tmech.2011.2144614
• Abdallah, I. B., Bouteraa, Y., & Rekik, C. (2017). Design and development of 3D printed myoelectric robotic exoskeleton for hand rehabilitation. International Journal on Smart Sensing and Intelligent Systems, 10(2), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.21307/ijssis-2017-215
• Li, H., & Cheng, L. (2017). Preliminary study on the design and control of a pneumatically-actuated hand rehabilitation device. 2017 32nd Youth Academic Annual Conference of Chinese Association of Automation (YAC). https://doi.org/10.1109/yac.2017.7967530
• Sandoval-Gonzalez, O., Jacinto-Villegas, J., Herrera-Aguilar, I., Portillo-Rodiguez, O., Tripicchio, P., Hernandez-Ramos, M., Flores-Cuautle, A., & Avizzano, C. (2016). Design and development of a hand exoskeleton robot for active and passive rehabilitation. International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems, 13(2), 66. https://doi.org/10.5772/62404
• Dilibal, S., Gulnergiz, E. T., Pagliarani, N., Donato, E., Iori, F., Setti, E., Falotico, E., & Cianchetti, M. (2022). Grasping of li-ion batteries via additively manufactured Soft Gripper and collaborative robot. 2022 International Congress on Human-Computer Interaction, Optimization and Robotic Applications (HORA). https://doi.org/10.1109/hora55278.2022.9799902
• Gulnergiz, E. T., Dilibal, S., Gormus, B., Danquah, J. O., & Emon, O. F. (2023). Additively manufactured soft pneumatic gripper integrated remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) for grasping archeological remains. 2023 5th International Congress on Human-Computer Interaction, Optimization and Robotic Applications (HORA). https://doi.org/10.1109/hora58378.2023.10156774
• Gulnergiz, E. T., & Dilibal, S. (2022). Experimental and numerical analysis of additive manufactured pneumatic artificial muscle hand rehabilitation orthosis. 2022 Innovations in Intelligent Systems and Applications Conference (ASYU). https://doi.org/10.1109/asyu56188.2022.9925499
• Gülnergiz, E.T. (2019). Katmanlı İmalat Yöntemiyle Üretilmiş Çoklu Serbestlik Dereceli Pnömatik Rehabilitasyon Ortezi, Turkey Robotics Conference (ToRK), 64–69. ISBN: 978-605-5625-16-0.
• Gülnergiz, E. T. (2020). Eklemeli İmalatla Üretilmiş Pnömatik Yapay Kas ile El Rehabilitasyon Ortezi Mekatronik Sistem Tasarımı (thesis).
• Atmega328. Microchip. (2020). https://www.microchip.com/en-us/product/atmega328
• Philip, M. S., Krishna, B., & Meenatchisundaram, S. (2018). Identification of empirical model and tuning of PID controller for a level control system. Engineering Vibration, Communication and Information Processing, 385–397. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1642-5_35
• Bucz, Š., & Kozáková, A. (2018). Advanced methods of PID controller tuning for specified performance. PID Control for Industrial Processes. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.76069
• Jenkins, H. (2016). Tuning for PID Controllers. Lecture, Macon; Mercer University. Retrieved from https://faculty.mercer.edu/jenkins_he/.
• Åström, K. J., & Murray, R. M. (2008). Feedback systems: An introduction for scientists and Engineers. Princeton University Press.
• Heidari, M., & Homaei, H. (2014). Improving the pneumatic control valve performance using a PID controller. Turkish Journal of Engineering and Environmental Sciences, 38, 240–247. https://doi.org/10.3906/muh-1301-8