Design of a 4 DoF Active Upper Limb Exoskeleton to Rehabilitate Osteoarthritis Injuries in Elderly

Exoskeletons aimed at assisted rehabilitation and enhancing motor skills in patients with muscular or joint injuries have seen increasing development as a branch of robotics research. This article presents a conceptual design of a 4 DoF upper limb exoskeleton to assist elderly patients in their rehabilitation exercises. Employing KWL and CRAAP strategies, alongside conducting interviews for insights into the perspectives of patients and physiotherapists and leveraging an information organizing tool known as the Lotus Diagram, this study precisely delineated the challenge, formulated clear objectives, and pinpointed essential components crucial for the development of the exoskeleton’s design. A cardboard design was created on a test subject, serving as the basis for the CAD design adapted to their accurate arm. Additionally, a flow diagram was developed to explain the desired operation of the device, acknowledging the inclusion of specific sensors and actuators. Finally, possible electronic components for this subsystem, including a stepper motor and an EMG sensor, were presented, accompanied by a stress analysis of the final prototype modeled in Fusion360.