Design of an innovative exoskeletal forearm-wrist mechanism

This paper presents an innovative 3-joints structure designed as the forearm-wrist of a force controlled exoskeleton. It is composed of an open parallel mechanism both fitting the human forearm and able to rotate on its longitudinal joint (prono-supination), in a similar manner of the ulna-radius movement. This structure advantageously replaces circular guidings in terms of mass, volume and friction and can be freely scaled. A lightweight 3 dof forearm-wrist mechanism is proposed as an integral rotation module for the general-purpose arm exoskeleton ABLE 7 D.

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