Putting prosthetic hands in motion
Summary
Here, Chetan Kale, R&D Engineer at Portescap has dicussed how standard motion solutions can meet all of these requirements in packages that also offer long battery life and low maintenance. Underpinning this functionality is a mechatronic system that combines high power density with optimum performance, addressing considerations for efficiency, reliability, accuracy, size, noise and overall weight. Selection the motor/gearbox combination is no trivial task, with the designer needing to find the right balance of performance characteristics to ensure the proper holding force and linear speed necessary for grasping, while also optimising the package for the available space and the required battery life. This ensures optimum space utilisation and low weight, with the motor able to meet not only the mechanical performance criteria of the application, but also the size and portability requirements of the prosthetic. Magnetic encoders provide a high degree of accuracy that is ideal for prosthetics applications which require incredibly accurate positioning with closed loop motion feedback.