Innovative Hand Exoskeleton Design for Extravehicular Activities in Space

丛 书 名：SpringerBriefs in applied sciences and technology, PoliMI SpringerBriefs,

版本说明：1

作     者：Pierluigi Freni, Eleonora Marina Botta, Luca Randazzo, Paolo Ariano (auth.) 

I S B N：(纸本) 9783319039572;9783319039589 

出 版 社：Springer International Publishing 

出 版 年：2014年

页      数：98页

学科分类：08[工学] 0825[工学-航空宇航科学与技术] 

摘      要：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 users 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 users will.