18-02-2016, 04:48 PM
ABSTRACT
A new robotic gripper was designed and constructed for Activities of Daily Living (ADL) to be used with the new Wheelchair Mounted Robotic Arm developed at USF. Two aspects of the new gripper made it unique; one is the design of the paddles, and the other is the design of the actuation mechanism that produces parallel motion for effective gripping. The paddles of the gripper were designed to grasp a wide variety objects with different
shapes and sizes that are used in every day life. The driving mechanism was designed to be simple, light, effective, safe, self content, and independent of the robotic arm attached to it.
INTRODUCTION
Gripper design considerations are crucial in producing a functional and cost effective product for rehabilitation applications. This gripper is designed to be mounted to any
robotic arm, and in particular, wheelchair mounted robotic arms that are used to enhance the manipulation capabilities of individuals with disabilities that are using power wheelchairs. Most grippers of similar objectives use two fingers for grasping, but the dexterity of these fingers limit the use of the gripper. This project attempts to provide a new design with enough dexterity to widen the range of grasping tasks that are used in the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) in an effort to improve performance and usability.