Concept and Simulation of a Portable Pneumatic Exoskeleton for Orthopedic Rehabilitation of the Elbow

Exoskeletons are by definition an external cast that fits around a body part and can be modified to perform assistive and rehabilitative functions when natural motion of that part is hindered or compromised. These exoskeletons can even provide strength enhancement and aid with performing day to day activities of that part-in this case the upper arm. This paper analyzes the concept of a pneumatically driven exoskeleton which will perform the hinge like action of the elbow for rehabilitation in case of injury or paralysis. The objective of building such a prototype is to make it portable, light weight on the injured arm and aesthetic for daily wear purposes. Integrating an electronic driver unit, a pneumatic circuit and a mechanical power transmission an assembly is created to perform this hinge like movement of the elbow. It was found that the exoskeleton can provide assistive motion ranging from a gradual lift of the forearm to a slightly more accelerated rate of motion. The exoskeleton was found to lift the forearm in approximately 39 s at 12psi of pressure and can run for approximately 13 hours at a stretch which makes it a suitable device for elbow rehabilitation. This prototype can be scalable as per the user’s arm dimensions and it is convenient to wear on the upper arm while carrying on with daily activities.