Development of a novel cable-driven parallel robot for full-cycle ankle rehabilitation

Abstract

Automatic rehabilitation equipment provides timely and effective rehabilitation training, which is critical in accelerating the recovery of joint injury and motion function. This paper proposes a novel cable-driven parallel robot for full-cycle ankle rehabilitation considering large angle, considerable moment, and multi-degree of freedom coupling. The configuration design, dimension optimization, control strategy, and prototype development are completed. By adopting rigid branch and cross cables, noticeable rotation angle and moment are achieved with a simple and lightweight configuration. Optimal design is implemented based on the grid search with the balance between the maximum cable force and the robot size. The control strategy that meets multiple training modes is developed, covering the entire rehabilitation cycle. Finally, the prototype is implemented to verify the research validity and provides high-performance rehabilitation equipment for the ankle joint.