A robot that simulates complex joint motion has been developed to enhance understanding of the 3D performance of normal and diseased joints and their artificial replacements.
Called the Six Degree of Freedom Hexapod Robot, its real life applications for biomedical research are numerous. The robot has be praised for its sophistication of design and the team behind it has won win the SA Engineers Australia 2012 Excellence Award.
Based on the Stewart Platform – a classic, proven design for “six degree of freedom” position and motion control widely used in flight simulators and theme park rides – the Hexapod Robot allows for improved understanding of how bones, joints and components function and why they fail.
The design team, led by Flinders biomechanical engineer Dr John Costi, includes researchers from the University of Adelaide’s school of mechanical engineering. “The Hexapod Robot very precisely simulates people walking, bending, twisting and lifting to within fractions of a millimetre, which allows researchers to determine the force placed on joints from repeated movements or actions,” Costi said. “Receiving this award is an honour and of particular importance is the recognition of this collaborative project amongst other traditional engineering disciplines.”
Potential uses for the robot include car-part manufacturing, workplace design or any area where complex, precise, 3D motions are required. The Hexapod Robot is now eligible for the 2012 National Engineering Excellence Award, which will be announced in Canberra next month.