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Effects of substituting anthropometric joints with revolute joints in humanoid robots and robotic hands: a case study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 August 2013

Mehdi Mousavi ,
Aurelio Somà  and
Francesco Pescarmona
Mehdi Mousavi*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy Center for Space Human Robotics at PoliTo, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, C.so Trento 21, 10129 Torino, Italy
Aurelio Somà
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
Francesco Pescarmona
Affiliation:
Center for Space Human Robotics at PoliTo, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, C.so Trento 21, 10129 Torino, Italy
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: mehdi.mousavi@polito.it
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Summary

In the human body there are many joints whose functions are very similar to revolute joints. To avoid the complexity of these joints, they are usually substituted by revolute joints in many humanoid robots. Revolute joints have purely rotational motion along their fixed axis, while real joints in the human body have Instantaneous Rotational Axis (IRA) due to their configuration. Substitution of this kind of human joints with revolute (hinge) joints in robots changes the kinematics of joints. Knowing the exact characteristics of the moving axis of rotation in human joints is a prerequisite for the kinematic study of a joint. Here the main geometrical difference between these kinds of joints in humans and their simplified (hinge-like) models in robots is described. Then, as a case study, the mechanism of the three joints of the index finger are compared with their hinge-like model using a multi-body code to understand when revolute joints can be substituted for anthropometric joints in hand exoskeletons and robotic hands. Furthermore, the position of IRA and its distance from the center of the condyle of the joint are presented. The concept and the results can be extended for other fingers and all similar joints, and can be used in humanoid robots, hand exoskeletons and robotic hands.

Keywords

Humanoid robotsRobotic handsHand exoskeletonsHuman jointsFinger biomechanical modelFinger kinematics, Distal interphalangealProximal interphalangealMetacarpophalangeal
Type
Articles
Information
Robotica , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , July 2014 , pp. 501 - 513
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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