<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify">Today, therapy of neurologically induced functional losses of the upper limbs is mainly carried out by manual therapy. With the progress in automation technology, device-assisted therapy has also established itself internationally as an additional treatment option in recent years. Thereby, proved therapy methods like Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) are applied automatically, which can relieve therapists, increase treatment density and lead to a better outcome. However, many of these solutions are still very costly, heavy, bulky, or unsuitable for non-specialists because of the complexity of the device and external actuator unit. These limitations deny a regular and otherwise immensely beneficial self-training by demanding the continuous presence of a therapist for setup and oversight. In the given context, Shape-Metal-Alloy-based actuators' usage may permit new design approaches with enhanced physical properties and usability, thus overcoming said inhibitions by reducing the size and weight of available devices and their peripherals, which use standard actuators. For SMA, the necessary strokes and forces are a challenge. In order to meet the given demands of automated grasp therapy, various actuator builds are designed using VDI 2248 and evaluated regarding their aptitude. These builds base on an antagonistic SMA approach consisting of wire and spring combinations to match given boundary conditions, like necessary stroke and gripping forces for a correct hand movement. Furthermore, optimization for properties like a minimal size to stroke ratio is conducted, and various electrical activation schemes are applied to optimize cycle time and thus enhance usability in practice. Therefore, the paper delivers an early proof of concept based on a prototype for an SMA-actuated grasp therapy device for neurological rehabilitation.</p>

Sma Actuator Usage in Upper Limb Rehabilitation Technology

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/SMASIS/SMASIS2021/volume/85499

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