Mechatronic Conceptual Design and Kinematic Analysis of Serial-Type Robotic Exoskeleton for Assisted Rehabilitation Therapy on Upper Limbs

For many years, the high price of medical exoskeletons for rehabilitation prevented the majority of the population from acquiring them. Therefore, certain new technologies allow the design of digital models capable of reducing weight, volume and price by having the possibility of being 3D printed. For this reason, an investigation carried out in 2022, under the supervision of the Faculty of Mechatronics Engineering, resulted in the proposed project, which is a serial-type exoskeleton for assisted-type rehabilitation in upper extremities, in addition to an electronic system of rapid control using the STM32F103C8T6 board with a frequency of 72MHz and a Cortex-M3 processor. In addition, the exoskeleton can regulate the degrees of rotation of each actuator in the 4 degrees of articulation that it has. This study presents a conceptual mechatronic design under the anthropometric measurements of an adult person and using 3D printing materials with toxic kinetic qualities of the ISO 10993-16: 2017 standard. The developed exoskeleton intends to apply in hospitals, clinics and other health centers with physical rehabilitation area. In conclusion, favorable results were achieved; consequently, the next step in this project is to be able to manage the movements and record new ones as required by the physiotherapist, under a mobile application.