Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
5-8-2013 11:00 AM
Subjects
Artificial arms -- Design and construction, Artificial arms -- Testing, Artificial arms -- Evaluation, Artificial arms -- Technological innovations
Abstract
The goal of the project is to build a functional low-cost prosthetic arm that is easily maintained. The focus is on prostheses that attach to the forearm. This design must perform daily life tasks such as picking up, holding and carrying objects while playing and working. To begin the design, a mechanical finger was built with wooden tongue depressors as bone material; rubber bands, string, and drinking straws as muscle material; and masking tape as ligament and tendon material. The length of each joint was set to the golden ratio. Using this method, a basic "hand" was created that could be used to grip objects. The second step was to determine the amount of surface area needed to impart appropriate pressure for gripping objects without causing damaging. This was measured using an olive as a model. The pressure required to puncture the skin of an olive with an object of known surface area was determined. Newton's first law was used to derive the graph of Force vs. Area of the finger tip. Each fingertip should have a surface area of at least 3.67 mm2 to prevent damage to objects encountered in daily life. The significance of the project is to develop an effective low-cost, easily maintained prosthetic arm that could benefit people with disabilities in developing nations or who are living below the poverty line.
Rights
© Copyright the author(s)
IN COPYRIGHT:
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
DISCLAIMER:
The purpose of this statement is to help the public understand how this Item may be used. When there is a (non-standard) License or contract that governs re-use of the associated Item, this statement only summarizes the effects of some of its terms. It is not a License, and should not be used to license your Work. To license your own Work, use a License offered at https://creativecommons.org/
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/9461
Included in
Designing A Low Cost Prosthetic Arm Device
The goal of the project is to build a functional low-cost prosthetic arm that is easily maintained. The focus is on prostheses that attach to the forearm. This design must perform daily life tasks such as picking up, holding and carrying objects while playing and working. To begin the design, a mechanical finger was built with wooden tongue depressors as bone material; rubber bands, string, and drinking straws as muscle material; and masking tape as ligament and tendon material. The length of each joint was set to the golden ratio. Using this method, a basic "hand" was created that could be used to grip objects. The second step was to determine the amount of surface area needed to impart appropriate pressure for gripping objects without causing damaging. This was measured using an olive as a model. The pressure required to puncture the skin of an olive with an object of known surface area was determined. Newton's first law was used to derive the graph of Force vs. Area of the finger tip. Each fingertip should have a surface area of at least 3.67 mm2 to prevent damage to objects encountered in daily life. The significance of the project is to develop an effective low-cost, easily maintained prosthetic arm that could benefit people with disabilities in developing nations or who are living below the poverty line.