Wheelchair-mounted robotic arms: Design and development

A wheelchair-mounted robotic arm (WMRA) was designed and built to meet the needs of mobility-impaired persons with limitations of upper extremities, and to exceed the capabilities of current devices of this type. The mechanical design incorporates DC servo drive, with actuator hardware at each individual joint, allowing reconfigurable link lengths. It has seven degrees of freedom and uses a side mount on a power wheelchair. The control system allows coordinated Cartesian control, and offers expandability for future research, such as coordinated motion with the wheelchair itself. This paper discusses the current state of the art in WMRAs; describes the design goals and user requirements for this device; explains the component selection process; discusses details of the mechanical design, electrical system and low-level controller; covers manufacturing concerns; and describes the testing of the completed arm. Further improvements are also suggested.