Anthropomorphic robotic arm with integrated elastic joints for TCM remedial massage

For reproducing the manipulation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) remedial massage and meanwhile guaranteeing safety, a 4-degree-of-freedom anthropomorphic robotic arm with integrated elastic joints is developed, and a passivity-based impedance control is used. Due to the series elasticity, int...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Robotica 2015-02, Vol.33 (2), p.348-365
Main Authors: Huang, Yuancan, Li, Jian, Huang, Qiang, Souères, Philippe
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidental impacts
Automatic
Biocompatibility
Biomedical materials
Engineering Sciences
Human body
In vivo testing
In vivo tests
Robotics
Surgical implants
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Summary:For reproducing the manipulation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) remedial massage and meanwhile guaranteeing safety, a 4-degree-of-freedom anthropomorphic robotic arm with integrated elastic joints is developed, and a passivity-based impedance control is used. Due to the series elasticity, integrated joints may minimize large forces that occur during accidental impacts, and, further, may offer more accurate and stable force control and a capacity for energy storage. Human expert's fingertip force curve in the process of massage therapy is acquired in vivo by a dedicated measurement device. Then three massage techniques, pressing, kneading, and plucking, are implemented by the soft arm, respectively, on torso model in vitro and on human body in vivo. Experimental results show that the developed robotic arm can effectively replicate the TCM remedial massage techniques.
ISSN:0263-5747
1469-8668
DOI:10.1017/S0263574714000228