Computational Fabrication Group at MIT CSAIL Laboratory Research, Ongoing Project Summer 2020
This summer I will be working on the mechanical design of an anthropomorphic, tendon-driven 3D printed robotic hand. The first few weeks of the summer was dedicated on creating a comprehensive survey of current robotic designs and researching the The rest of the summer I will spend designing and creating prototypes of anthropomorphic robotic fingers.
Finger design mimics biological musculoskeletal systems and designed for manual actuation of tendons.
Finger design mimics biological musculoskeletal systems and designed for manual actuation of tendons.
The mechanical design of the hand is seperated from the sensing unit and control system. The robotic hand design will have the ability to function like a "lego kit" for
Protype 1 Linkages CAD in SolidWorks
For this prototype, I wanted to create the simplest tendon-driven finger to understand the how these mechanisms work.
Protype 2 CAD in SolidWorks
For this prototype, I wanted to create a more anthropomorphic design, with more tendons that match more closley to the anatomy of the human hand. The tendons included in this design are:
Functions as a flexor of the DIP joint, assists with PIP and MCP flexion, located at the base of the distal phalange
Functions as a flexor of the PIP joint, assists with MCP flexion, attached at the middle phalange
The tendons of the extensor digitorum flatten as they reach the metacarpals and become extensor hoods which fan out and wrap around the metacarpal and proximal phalanx joining onto the palmar plate
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