Variable Resistance Hand Device using an electro-rheological fluid damper

Author

Weinberg, B. ; Khanicheh, A. ; Sivak, M. ; Unluhisarcikli, O. ; Morel, G. ; Shannon, J. ; Kelliher, J. ; Sabadosa, M. ; Bonmassar, G. ; Patritti, B. ; Bonato, P. ; Mavroidis, C.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Mech. & Ind. Eng., Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA

fYear

2009

fDate

18-20 March 2009

Firstpage

529

Lastpage

534

Abstract

This paper presents the design, fabrication, control and testing of the third generation prototype of a novel, one degree of freedom (DOF) variable resistance hand device (VRHD) that was designed for isotonic, isokinetic, and variable resistance grasp and release exercises. Its principle functionality is derived from an electro-rheological fluid based controllable damper that allows continuously variable modulation of dynamic resistance throughout its stroke. The VRHD system consists of the patient actuated device, the control electronics and software, the practitioner graphical interface and the patient´s virtual reality game software. VRHD was designed and experimentally shown to be fully magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatible so that it can be used in brain MR imaging during handgrip rehabilitation.

Keywords

biomedical MRI; biomedical equipment; electrorheology; haptic interfaces; electro-rheological fluid damper; handgrip rehabilitation; magnetic resonance imaging; practitioner graphical interface; variable resistance hand device; virtual reality; Control systems; Electric variables control; Fabrication; Fluid dynamics; Games; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic variables control; Prototypes; Testing; Virtual reality;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

EuroHaptics conference, 2009 and Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems. World Haptics 2009. Third Joint

Conference_Location

Salt Lake City, UT

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-3858-7

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/WHC.2009.4810899

Filename

4810899