Development and Evaluation of an Integrated Upper Extremity Joint Traction and Continuous Passive Motion Rehabilitation Robotic Arm

• Main Authors: Hung-Zhi Chen, 陳洪志
• Other Authors: Ming-Yih Lee
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/81968636429951851450

碩士 === 長庚大學 === 醫療機電工程研究所 === 94 === “Adhesive capsulitis” is the most common chronic shoulder degenerated disease and it is generally called “Frozen shoulder”. According to literatures investigation, “Frozen shoulder” is one of the chronic shoulder diseases and often occurs people between the ages of 40 and 60. Shoulder pain may last for five years when the disease aggravating, When capsular fibrosis occurs within the patients’ shoulder joint, the shoulder joint will become stiffness, contraction and restriction and then greatly affects ones daily activities. Therefore, the shoulder condition is getting worse because of less motions due to shoulder pain and restriction within the motion range. Kaltenborn stated that the effective remedy for frozen shoulder is not only to enhance the shoulder joint exercise but also shoulder traction. Unfortunately there is no intergrated shoulder joint traction and passive motion rehabilitation device in the market. Presently in clinic physical therapists usually use manual therapy to increase the frozen shoulder patient range of motion, reduce joint stiffness, and release shoulder pain. But manual therapy is sometime a time-consuming strategy and requiring strenuous effort. Physical therapists also cannot accurately control the force of joint traction and the angle of shoulder motion. Thus, how to design and set up a rehabilitation device combined with shoulder joint traction and passive motion to improve cure of frozen shoulder becomes more important . For this reason, we will develop a robotic arm integrated joint traction and passive motion function, drawing on Innovative Design of Mechanism, Mechatronics Engineering, and Automatic Control Engineering technique. It is to help clinical physical therapists and physicians make clinical treatments of the frozen shoulder better. The research will be divided into three parts. The first part is the design and development of the robotic arm mechanism. The second part is the development and integration of the control system and operating interface software. The third part is test of the robotic arm and evaluation of the conduct application. In the first part, we will study anthropometry and do the research for how to use commercialized upper limb rehabilitation device on clinical treatment. Then, we will make requirement utilizing Quality Function Deployment (QFD) analysis technique , to set the function of the machine and engineering designed standard. We will proceed with mechanical design, analysis, and simulation. In addition to, we design and develop mechanical device of the robotic arm and its components including base lifting mechanism, wristlet structure, motion traction control mechanism and joint motion mechanism. This design utilize SolidWorks® 3D software to draft the above-mechanism and modify its detailed function. It also use motion analysis software (MSC.VisualNastran®) to simulate mechanical dynamic motion. Using finite element analysis software(SolidWorks Cosmos Works®) to analysis mechanical structure. Finally we use homogeneous transformed matrix theory to deduces mechanical forward and inverse kinematics equation. Then we can compute the mechanical motion space and manufacture, fabricate the robotic arm prototype. In the second part, we mainly integrate the control system, and develop operating software. The control system components includes Galil motion control card, servo motor, relay,and relating to electrical circuit, etc . We alse select rotational encoder, force gauge, and limit switch to detect feedback control signal. Then, Our research uses Visual Basic software to develop the operation software program. The operation program module includes: Patient Database Module, Single-/ Multi-axials Motor Control Module, and Motion Rehabilitation traction Control Module. And we must check and make sure this software program works properly. Besides, in order to insure the effect on rehabilitation of upper limb joint motion is substantial, we also use Zebris 3D ultrasonic motion analyzer to measure the human motion traction and create experimental tests. Final, we combine the control hardware with software, and proceed to an integrated functional test. In the third part, we will test the machine all function, and evaluate the human application test. The machine functional test includes: traction force measure test, continuous motion function control test, and motion rehabilitation traction control test. Then we will select 5-10 volunteers for clinical testing in one month. The clinical human application test includes: simulation of the upper limb joint traction test and the rehabilitation motion test. Finally, we use Zebris 3D ultrasonic motion analyzer measure upper limb motion trajection, rehabilitation times, motion frequency and motion angle on patients , and record all data. Results:In the traction force test, the traction force(y)/voltage(x) is a linear regression association ( y = 25.622 x2 +8.6083x- 1.4648). In the single/multi-axial motion control test，the mechanical range of motion for shoulder rotation is 0~100°, shoulder elevation is 0~90°, and elbow rotation is - 90°~90°. In the motion traction control test, we can control the reachable point and linear trajectory . In the human application evaluate: there are four people to complete the clinical test. People can accept 4~5 centimeters traction distance at 15 kilograms traction force. The motion angle rate between the machine and human is following the linear association, and the motion angle mean error is 1±2. Conclusion:Our research has finished the “Development and Evaluation of an Integrated Upper Extremity Joint Traction and Continuous Passive Motion Rehabilitation Robotic Arm.” It can be used in clinical treatment, and we will apply for a patent. We offer quantification database of the joint traction force and motion control function to improve the traditional manipulation treatment. In the future, we hope our research can help clinical physical therapists make the rehabilitation programs and processes simply.