Optimal design of a wheelchair-mounted robotic arm for activities of daily living.
Purpose: The increasing prevalence of upper limb dysfunctions due to stroke, spinal cord injuries, and multiple sclerosis presents a critical challenge in assistive technology: designing robotic arms that are both energy‑efficient and capable of effectively performing activities of daily living (ADL...
| Publicado en: | Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology Vol. 20; no. 5; pp. 1539 - 1557 |
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| Autores principales: | , , , , , , , , , , |
| Formato: | algorithm equations & formulas pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Publicado: |
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Jul2025
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=186130685&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 186130685 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 17483107 1X04 jtl: Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology issn: 17483107 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: Jul2025 vid: 20 iid: 5 pid: 377 pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania artinfo: ui: 186130685 183106016 186130685 186130685 10.1080/17483107.2025.2459890 186130685 ppf: 1539 ppct: 18 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Optimal design of a wheelchair-mounted robotic arm for activities of daily living. aug: au: Sanjuan De Caro, Javier Dario Haque Sunny, Md Samiul Davila Albor, Gabriela Ahmed, Tanvir Rahman, Md Mahbubur Zarif, Md Ishrak Islam Swapnil, Asif Al Zubayer Wang, Inga Schultz, Katie Ahamed, Sheikh Iqbal Rahman, Mohammad H. affil: Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA sug: subj: Activities of Daily Living Wheelchairs, Powered Utilization Equipment Design Evaluation Balance, Postural Funding Source Human Descriptive Statistics Robotics Persons with Disabilities Kinematics Task Performance and Analysis Assistive Technology ab: Purpose: The increasing prevalence of upper limb dysfunctions due to stroke, spinal cord injuries, and multiple sclerosis presents a critical challenge in assistive technology: designing robotic arms that are both energy‑efficient and capable of effectively performing activities of daily living (ADLs). This challenge is exacerbated by the need to ensure these devices are accessible for non‑expert users and can operate within the spatial constraints typical of everyday environments. Despite advancements in wheelchair‑mounted robotic arms (WMRAs), existing designs do not achieve an optimal balance—minimizing energy consumption and space while maximizing kinematic performance and workspace. Most robotic arms can perform a range of ADLs, but they do not account for outdoor environments where energy conservation is crucial. Furthermore, the need for WMRAs to be compact in idle configurations—essential for navigating through doors or between aisles—adds another layer of complexity to their design. This paper addresses these multifaceted design challenges by proposing a novel objective function to optimize the link lengths of WMRAs, aiming to reduce energy consumption without compromising the robots' operational capabilities. Materials and Methods: To achieve this optimization, the scatter search method was employed, incorporating considerations of collision and singularity avoidance while ensuring the arm remains compact when not in use. The proposed design was evaluated through simulations and experimental validation with both healthy subjects and individuals with lower limb dysfunctions. Results and Conclusions: The optimized WMRA demonstrated significant improvements in energy efficiency and spatial adaptability while maintaining the required kinematic performance for ADLs. The validation process confirmed the practical applicability of the proposed design, highlighting its potential to enhance mobility and independence for individuals with upper limb impairments. This study contributes to the field of disability and rehabilitation by providing a structured approach to designing assistive robotic arms that better align with real‑world constraints and user needs. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: The optimised WMAR improves the mobility and autonomy of individuals with upper limb disabilities by providing a reliable assistive tool for daily tasks. The methodology ensures efficient energy consumption, which extends the operational time of the assistive device, benefiting users in their daily routines. Advanced collision detection and singularity avoidance enhance the safety and reliability of the WMAR, reducing the risk of malfunctions during use. The flexible design approach allows for customisation based on individual needs and specific rehabilitation goals, providing tailored support for users. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: algorithm equations & formulas pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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