Design of a Goniometric Input Device for Master/Slave Control of a Transhumeral Prosthesis

Abstract

Design of a device for intuitively commanding an in-development prosthetic arm for transhumeral amputees is described in this thesis. The goal of the device is to allow complex tasks and behaviors to be easily demonstrated without time consuming repeated iterations of robot trajectory programming and testing. Structural design of the device and sensor choice for optimal interaction with the device and its peculiarities are treated as well as the development of a software package for evaluation of the input device without need for the actual prosthetic arm to be present. Feedback control of individual prosthetic fingers is also discussed. Finally, some demonstrations of the capabilities that were able to be achieved through the use of the paired input device / prosthetic arm system are enumerated.