WEARABLE ROBOTIC DEVICE

Abstract

Disclosed is a wearable robotic device that can replace the standard clinical tests used in the follow-up of MS (Multiple Sclerosis) disease, can make measurements with high precision, and enables monitoring the phase of MS disease and the process of response to the treatment at frequent intervals. The device allows the patients to perform dynamic activities and contributes to the good course of the disease as it is able to stimulate when the patients deliver different performance than the healthy people normals.

Claims

1. A wearable robotic device that can make measurements with high precision to replace standard clinical tests used in the follow-up of MS (Multiple Sclerosis) disease, enables monitoring the phase of MS disease and the process of response to the treatment at frequent intervals, the wearable robotic device comprising: an upper part which has a U shaped structure and has a sufficient slot for distal phalanx of the patient's fingers, a vibration motor which corresponds to the finger tip after inserting it into the upper part, helps recover the diseased area in the neural loop during a activity performed by hand by stimulating based on the over or subnormal performance of the patient during the activities, a finger isolator which the lower end of the finger is in contact, hinders damage to both the finger and force sensing resistor by preventing the finger directly contact the force sensing resistor, a force focuser which focuses the force applied by the patient while holding an object, force sensing resistors that sense the force in the pressure direction, an intermediate part on which the upper part, finger protector, force focuser and force sensing resistor are placed and which is one of the elements forming the main body, a lower part which is another of the elements that form the main body, a vertical slip sensor and a horizontal slip sensor that have a cylindrical structure with magnetic parts located between the intermediate part and the lower part, magnetic rotary encoders that allow detecting the movement of the vertical slip sensor and the horizontal slip sensor, and a microcontroller card that allows to transmit data by wireless communication and is worn on a wrist.

2. The wearable robotic device of claim 1, comprising fixing slots located on the upper part that allows the finger to be fixed to the device.

3. The wearable robotic device of claim 1, comprising a slot into which the force-sensing resistor is fixed on the upper surface of the intermediate part, facing the lower face of the finger.

4. The wearable robotic device of claim 1, comprising a semi-cylindrical slot into which half of the vertical slip sensor and the horizontal slip sensor can be inserted on the lower surface of the intermediate part.

5. The wearable robotic device as of claim 4, wherein the semi-cylinderical slot has spherical textured upper surfaces that ensure stable rotation of the cylindrical structures with magnetic parts and provide less friction between the cylindrical structures with magnetic parts and the surfaces of the semi-cylindrical slots.

6. The wearable robotic device of claim 1, comprising a semi-cylindrical slot into which half of the vertical slip sensor and the horizontal slip sensor can be inserted on the upper surface of the lower part.

7. The wearable robotic device of claim 6, wherein the semi-cylinder slot has hemispherical textured upper surfaces that ensure stable rotation of the cylindrical structures with magnetic parts.

8. The wearable robotic device of claim 1, comprising at least two screws that provide the connection of the lower part and the intermediate part.

9. The wearable robotic device of claim 1, comprising an internet connection module that enables the data collected from the patient to be transmitted to the patient's doctor periodically.

10. The wearable robotic device of claim 1, wherein the upper part, the intermediate part and the lower part are produced from a flexible resin material.

11. The robotic device of claim 10, wherein the upper part, the intermediate part and the lower part are produced from a flexible resin material with a density of 1.1 g/cm.sup.3.

Description

DEFINITIONS OF THE FIGURES DESCRIBING THE INVENTION

[0023] The figures used to better explain the wearable robotic device developed with this invention are given below.

[0024] FIG. 1A perspective view of placement of the part of the solid model of the wearable device

[0025] FIG. 2A perspective view of placement of the part of the solid model of the wearable device from another angle

[0026] FIG. 3A view showing the object holding success of the fingertip wearable device

DEFINITIONS OF ELEMENTS AND PARTS CONSTITUTING THE INVENTION

[0027] The parts and elements of the wearable robotic device developed with this invention are individually numbered and listed below. [0028] 1. Upper Part [0029] 1.1. Fixing Openings [0030] 2. Vibration Motor [0031] 3. Finger Protector [0032] 4. Force Focuser [0033] 5. Force Sensing Resistor [0034] 6. Intermediate Part [0035] 6.1. Hemispherical Textured Upper Surfaces [0036] 6.2. Slot [0037] 6.3. Semi-Cylinder Slot [0038] 7. Cylindrical Structure with Magnetic Part [0039] 7.1. Vertical Slip Sensor [0040] 7.2. Horizontal Slip Sensor [0041] 8. Screw [0042] 9. Lower Part [0043] 9.1. Hemispherical Textured Lower Surfaces [0044] 9.2. Semi-Cylinderical Slot [0045] 10. Magnetic Rotary Encoder

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] The invention relates to a wearable robotic device that can replace the standard clinical tests used in the follow-up of MS (Multiple Sclerosis) disease, can make measurements with high precision, and enables monitoring the phase of MS disease and the process of response to the treatment at frequent intervals. The invention also contributes to the good course of the disease, as it can give a warning if the patient performs his dynamic activities and presents a different performance compared to the normal of healthy people. Due to the feature of the design that emphasizes that the patient can move an object from one point to another using two fingers, place the object in a space with appropriate geometry by making manipulative movements, hold objects of different weights, in other words hand functions that require skill, it covers tasks in the pinch grasp category.

[0047] To increase interaction and manipulation while performing tasks, a wearable fingertip robotic device with sufficient slots for the distal phalanges (bones at the most extreme tips of the fingers) has been developed that can sense the initial moment of sliding in various directions and force change. After the said robotic device is attached to the fingertip, it can be fixed to the finger with touch and close fasteners.

[0048] The mechanical design of the invention mainly consists of two layers with integrated sensors presented as exploded view in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Lightweight design criterion is met by the selection of flexible resin material with density of 1.1 g/cm.sup.3, by avoiding the size from being larger than the required for the fingertips (182711 mm), and by designing the overall platform durable yet thin enough. In another embodiment of the invention, a flexible resin material with a lower density can be selected.

[0049] To meet the size and shape criteria, the two main bodies of the wearable device are produced with UV LCD 3d printer production technique, which is functional for the needs of users of all sizes. On the other hand, ergonomics criterion is realized with a wearable device designed as minimally as possible, which allows to keep the working space of the fingertip as wide as possible.

[0050] According to the sensory functionality criterion, force sensing resistors (5) are placed in their slots (6.2) in the mechanical design of the wearable device to sense the force in the direction of pressure. These sensors (5), which can detect a maximum force of 44N, can also measure the upper limit of a person who produces a maximum force of 12N with his/her fingertip. The slip sensation is achieved by detecting its nearly stationary motion (of the cylindrical rotary parts (7.1 and 7.2) placed between the intermediate part (6) and the lower part (9) by 12-bit non-contact magnetic rotary encoders (10) that are sensitive enough to detect motion) (1 count corresponds to 0.09 revolution). The device also gives warnings according to the over or sub-normal performance during the activities performed by the patient by means of the button-type shaft-less mini vibration motor (2), which is placed to coincide with the nose of the finger. Thus, a manual activity helps to repair the diseased area in the neural circuit. It is desired to measure whether the success of MS patients in holding objects is worse than healthy people, so whether the force applied by the fingers to the object is sufficient or if more force is applied to prevent the object from falling. In case of applying less force to the object, vibrational warning is given to the patient by means of the vibration motor (2) at the moment of detection of instant minimal slip.

[0051] It is important for people to be able to easily perform the tasks given during the experiment, especially dynamic activities, not to be restricted by any mechanical obstacle during the activity, to provide a harmonious hand-eye coordination and to subject their concentration to the experiment only in terms of accurate evaluation and follow-up. For this reason, the communication of the system is provided via a microcontroller card which allows the data transfer to be transferred by wireless communication and is connected to the human wrist.

[0052] In an embodiment of the invention, the data collected with the wireless internet connection module (Wi-fi Module) in the device can be periodically sent to the patient's doctor.

[0053] In its most basic form, a wearable robotic device that can make measurements with high precision to replace the standard clinical tests used in the follow-up of MS (Multiple Sclerosis) disease, enables monitoring the phase of MS disease and the process of response to the treatment at frequent intervals includes [0054] The upper part (1), which has a U shaped structure and has a sufficient slot for the most extreme bones of the patient's fingers, [0055] The vibration motor (2), which coincides with the nose of the finger after it is placed on the upper part, and helps the repair of the diseased area in the neural circuit of a manual activity by giving warnings according to the over or sub-normal performance during the activities performed by the patient, [0056] Finger protector (3), in which the lower end of the finger touches and which prevents damage to both the finger and the force sensing resistor (5) by preventing the finger from coming into direct contact with the force sensing resistor (5), [0057] Force focuser (4), which focuses the force applied by the patient while holding an object, [0058] Force sensing resistors (5) that sense the force in the pressure direction, [0059] The intermediate part (6) on which the upper part (1), finger protector (3), force focuser (4) and force sensing resistor (5) are placed and which is one of the elements forming the main body, [0060] The lower part (9), which is another of the elements that form the main body, [0061] A vertical slip sensor (7.1) and a horizontal slip sensor (7.2) with a cylindrical structure (7) with magnetic parts located between the intermediate part (6) and the lower part (9), [0062] Magnetic rotary encoders (10) that allow detecting the movement of the vertical slip sensor (7.1) and the horizontal slip sensor (7.2), and [0063] A microcontroller card that allows data transfer to be transferred via wireless communication and is worn on the wrist like a watch.

[0064] Since the upper part has a U shaped structure, the device is fixed to the finger by passing velcro bands through the fixing openings (1.1) on the upper part in order to fix the finger to the device after the finger is placed on the upper part.

[0065] On the upper surface (6) of the intermediate part facing the lower face of the finger, there is a slot (6.2) into which the force sensing resistor (5) is fixed. On the lower surface (6) of the intermediate part, there is a semi-cylindrical slot (6.3) into which half of the vertical slip sensor (7.1) and the horizontal slip sensor (7.2) can be inserted. The surfaces of the semi-cylindrical slot (6.3) have hemispherical textured lower surfaces (6.1). The hemispherical textured lower surfaces (6.1) provide a balanced rotation of the cylindrical structures (7) with magnetic parts. The hemispherical textured lower surfaces (6.1) also provide less friction between the two surfaces of the cylindrical structures with magnetic parts (7) and the semi-cylindrical slots (6.3). Thus, the cylindrical structures (7) with magnetic parts are provided to rotate more easily without being exposed to frictional resistance. This enables the starting point of the slip to be detected precisely.

[0066] On the surface of the lower part (9) facing the intermediate part (6), there is a semi-cylindrical slot (9.2) into which half of the vertical slip sensor (7.1) and the horizontal slip sensor (7.2) can be inserted. The surfaces of the semi-cylindrical slot (9.2) have hemispherical textured lower surfaces (9.1). The hemispherical textured lower surfaces (9.1) provide a balanced rotation of the cylindrical structures (7) with magnetic parts.

[0067] When the semi-cylindrical slot on the lower part (9) and the semi-cylindrical slots on the intermediate part (6) are overlapped, they completely surround the cylindrical structures with magnetic parts. The connection of the lower part (9) and the intermediate part (6) is made by means of the screws (8). The screws (8) providing the connection of the lower part (9) and the intermediate part (6) are at least two.