In-Sole MEMS Pressure Sensing for a LowerExtremity Exoskeleton

Author

Wheeler, Jason ; Rohrer, Brandon ; Kholwadwala, Deepesh ; Buerger, Stephen ; Givler, Richard ; Neely, Jason ; Hobart, Clint ; Galambos, Paul

Author_Institution

Cybern. Syst. Integration Dept., Sandia Nat. Labs., Albuquerque, NM

fYear

2006

fDate

20-22 Feb. 2006

Firstpage

31

Lastpage

34

Abstract

The control system for the Berkeley lower extremity exoskeleton (BLEEX) requires ground contact pressure information to operate safely and effectively. Commercially available in-sole sensors do not have sufficient bandwidth, accuracy and reliability for such a system. We have designed and prototyped an in-sole ground contact sensor that uses MEMS pressure transducers placed in an array of hermetically sealed cavities. This system provides a robust method to monitor ground contact pressures

Keywords

biomedical measurement; medical robotics; micromechanical devices; pressure measurement; pressure sensors; pressure transducers; Berkeley lower-extremity exoskeleton; hermetically sealed cavities; in-sole MEMS pressure transducers; in-sole ground contact sensor; Bandwidth; Control systems; Exoskeletons; Extremities; Micromechanical devices; Pressure control; Prototypes; Sensor arrays; Sensor systems; Transducers;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics, 2006. BioRob 2006. The First IEEE/RAS-EMBS International Conference on

Conference_Location

Pisa

Print_ISBN

1-4244-0040-6

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/BIOROB.2006.1639055

Filename

1639055