In an effort to improve the quality of life for people who use wheelchairs, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) are developing an innovative robotic arm that, inspired by origami, promises to be flexible and lightweight. This robotic arm , designed to grasp, lift and carry objects, could mark a before and after in assistive technology for people with reduced mobility.
Will robotic arms change the lives of people in wheelchairs?
The project, which has a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), is led by researchers Cagdas Onal, Berk Calli and Loris Fichera. Together they are working on developing “soft continuum” robotic arms. These arms have greater flexibility than traditional arms, allowing wheelchair users to reach objects that would otherwise be out of reach.
A new class of lightweight, safe robotic arms based on the advances we are making would give these people more independence in their daily activities.
“This is a very exciting time for the team,” said Onal, principal investigator on the project and associate professor in WPI’s Department of Robotics Engineering.
A flexible and efficient design inspired by origami
The design of these robotic arms is inspired by origami , a technique that allows for the creation of highly efficient folding structures . Using lightweight plastics and 3D printed components, researchers are developing an arm that expands, shrinks and bends with ease , like a coiled spring, allowing it to adapt to different environments and tasks.
Despite its flexibility, the arm maintains the rigidity needed to perform precise tasks, such as lifting a glass of water without spilling it.
Advantages of soft robots for assistive robotics
To address traditional limitations of soft robotic arms, researchers are using advanced manufacturing methods, including the integration of modules that combine to improve stiffness and torsional strength without sacrificing the lightweight nature of the design. They are also developing specialized algorithms to control the motion of these arms through microcontroller platforms.
Explains Berk Calli, co-investigator and associate professor of robotics engineering.
Watch how the origami-inspired robot works. Source: IPC
Soft robots have great potential for assistive robotics. A very large rigid robot would be needed to reach high shelves in a cupboard, for example, and it makes no sense to place such robots next to a user. Soft robots could expand to reach objects and shrink to a compact size when not in use.
Explains Berk Calli, co-investigator and associate professor of robotics engineering.
Importance of soft robotics
One of the key goals of the project is to create a flexible and extendable robotic arm that, using commercial grippers, is capable of performing everyday tasks in a simple and safe manner. This would provide wheelchair users with the ability to interact with their environment more autonomously , improving their quality of life and giving them a level of independence previously unthinkable.
It’s exciting to work on this project with colleagues and students at WPI. More importantly, this research has the potential to improve the lives of many people, allowing them to do things they couldn’t before, such as lift and carry objects from their wheelchair.
Onal concludes.
Follow us on social media and don’t miss any of our posts!
YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Instagram X ( Twitter ) TikTok
Source and photos: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
