Innovative Hand Exoskeleton Design for Extravehicular Activities in Space [electronic resource] / by Pierluigi Freni, Eleonora Marina Botta, Luca Randazzo, Paolo Ariano.
By: Freni, Pierluigi [author.].
Contributor(s): Botta, Eleonora Marina [author.] | Randazzo, Luca [author.] | Ariano, Paolo [author.] | SpringerLink (Online service).
Material type: BookSeries: SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology: Publisher: Cham : Springer International Publishing : Imprint: Springer, 2014Description: XII, 89 p. 46 illus., 2 illus. in color. online resource.Content type: text Media type: computer Carrier type: online resourceISBN: 9783319039589.Subject(s): Engineering | Aerospace engineering | Astronautics | Robotics | Automation | Biomedical engineering | Engineering | Aerospace Technology and Astronautics | Robotics and Automation | Ceramics, Glass, Composites, Natural Methods | Biomedical EngineeringAdditional physical formats: Printed edition:: No titleDDC classification: 629.1 Online resources: Click here to access onlineIntroduction -- Users' Requirements -- State of the Art -- The Solution -- Concept Layout -- Conclusions.
Environmental conditions and pressurized spacesuits expose astronauts to problems of fatigue during lengthy extravehicular activities, with adverse impacts especially on the dexterity, force and endurance of the hands and arms. A state-of-the-art exploration in the field of hand exoskeletons revealed that available products are unsuitable for space applications because of their bulkiness and mass. This book proposes a novel approach to the development of hand exoskeletons, based on an innovative soft robotics concept that relies on the exploitation of electroactive polymers operating as sensors and actuators, on a combination of electromyography and mechanomyography for detection of the user's will and on neural networks for control. The result is a design that should enhance astronauts' performance during extravehicular activities. In summary, the advantages of the described approach are a low-weight, high-flexibility exoskeleton that allows for dexterity and compliance with the user's will.
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