Design and control of an exoskeleton using flexible links for the rehabilitation of upper limb movements.

• Grant number: 24/09583-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: September 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Industrial Electronics, Electronic Systems and Controls
• Principal Investigator: Wilian Miranda dos Santos
• Grantee: Maria Eduarda Almeida Pinheiro
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus Experimental São João da Boa Vista. São João da Boa Vista , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This research project proposes the development of an exoskeleton for upper limbs with flexible links, aiming to reduce the mass and size of the actuators, resulting in a lighter, more compact, and accessible exoskeleton. The flexibility of the links will be explored as a resource to improve interaction control. Contrary to the previous paradigm, where link flexibility was seen as a disadvantage, in this project, it will be considered a beneficial feature capable of providing more stable and transparent interaction control. The use of this flexibility for interaction control is an area scarcely explored in the literature, and this study seeks to fill that gap. To deal with the complexity of controlling flexible robots, H-infinity control techniques will be employed to ensure system robustness in the face of parametric uncertainties and external disturbances. It is expected that this study will contribute to the advancement of exoskeleton technology and expand its application possibilities in the field of robotic rehabilitation.