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Presents both description and overview of the emerging field of biomechanical grippers and shows the prototype of biomechanical gripper called the Presov biomechanical robot gripper. Biomechanical robots and biomechanical grippers belong under biorobotics and bioengineering systems. Basic components of biorobotics include biomechanisms, biocontrol, biointelligence and biosensors. The Presov Biomechanical Robot Gripper is an electrically‐driven, multi‐fingered dextrous gripper, which has many features that conventional industrial robot grippers do not have. This gripper has been developed in the Department of Industrial Robotics of the Technical University in Presov, Slovak Republic.

This bibliography is offered as a practical guide to published papers, conference proceedings papers and theses/dissertations on the finite element (FE) and boundary element (BE) applications in different fields of biomechanics between 1976 and 1991. The aim of this paper is to help the users of FE and BE techniques to get better value from a large collection of papers on the subjects. Categories in biomechanics included in this survey are: orthopaedic mechanics, dental mechanics, cardiovascular mechanics, soft tissue mechanics, biological flow, impact injury, and other fields of applications. More than 900 references are listed.

Biomechanical properties of bones and fixators are important. The aim of this study was to develop a new device to simulate the real mechanical environment and to evaluate biomechanical properties of the bone with a fixation device, including the static force and the fatigue characters.

In this paper, the device is mainly composed of three parts: pull-pressure transmission system, bending force applying system and torsion applying system, which can successfully simulate the pre-introduced pull-pressure force, bending force and torsion force, respectively. To prove the feasibility of the design, theoretical analysis is used. It is concluded from the simulated result that this scheme of design can successfully satisfy the request of the evaluation.

Finally, on the basis of the force sensor calibration, the static force experiment and fatigue experiment are carried out using the tibia of the sheep as the specimen. It is concluded from the result that the relationship between the micro displacement and the applied axial force is nearly linear. Under the condition of 1 Hz in frequency, 500 N in loading force and 18,000 reciprocating cycles, the bone fixator can still be in good condition, which proves the feasibility of the design.

Biomechanical properties of bones and fixators are studied by researchers. However, few simulate a real force environment and combine forces in different directions. So a novel system is designed and fabricated to evaluate the biomechanical properties of the bones and fixators. Results of the experiments show that this new system is reliable and stable, which can support the biomechanical study and clinical treatment.

Work-related low back disorders (LBDs) are prevalent among rebar workers although their causes remain uncertain. The purpose of this study is to examine the self-reported discomfort and spinal biomechanics (muscle activity and spinal kinematics) experienced by rebar workers.

In all, 20 healthy male participants performed simulated repetitive rebar lifting tasks with three different lifting weights, using either a stoop (n = 10) or a squat (n = 10) lifting posture, until subjective fatigue was reached. During these tasks, trunk muscle activity and spinal kinematics were recorded using surface electromyography and motion sensors, respectively.

A mixed-model, repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that an increase in lifting weight significantly increased lower back muscle activity at L3 level but decreased fatigue and time to fatigue (endurance time) (p < 0.05). Lifting postures had no significant effect on spinal biomechanics (p < 0.05). Test results revealed that lifting different weights causes disproportional loading upon muscles, which shortens the time to reach working endurance and increases the risk of developing LBDs among rebar workers.

Future research is required to: broaden the research scope to include other trades; investigate the effects of using assistive lifting devices to reduce manual handling risks posed; and develop automated human condition-based solutions to monitor trunk muscle activity and spinal kinematics.

This study fulfils an identified need to study laboratory-based simulated task conducted to investigate the risk of developing LBDs among rebar workers primarily caused by repetitive rebar lifting.

Wall climbing robots' volume is needed to be very small in fields that workspace is limited, such as anti‐terror scouting, industry pipe network inspecting and so on. The purpose of this paper is to design a miniature wall climbing robot with biomechanical suction cups actuated by shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators.

Based on characteristics of biologic suction apparatuses, the biomechanical suction cup is designed first. Theory analysis of the suction cup is made considering elastic plate's deflection and SMAs constitutive model. A triangular close linkage locomotion mechanism is chosen for the miniature robot because of its simple structure and control. The robot's gait, kinematics, and control system are all illustrated in this paper.

Experiments indicate that the suction cup can be used as an adhesion mechanism for miniature wall climbing robots, and the miniature robot prototype with biomechanical suction cups can move in straight line and turn with a fixed angle on an inclined glass wall.

This paper describes how a miniature wall climbing robot with biomechanical suction cups actuated by SMA without any air pump is designed.

Destructive changes in body shape can happen slowly over a long period of time and may affect any person who has difficulty moving efficiently, irrespective of diagnosis or age. Supporting the body in symmetrical supine lying has been found to protect and restore body shape, muscle tone and quality of life for people who would otherwise be left to become static in destructive lying postures. Those described as having complex and continuing health care needs or profound and multiple learning disabilities are likely to be at risk of developing changes in body shape. This article will consider predictable patterns of chest distortion and reduction of internal capacity of the abdomen and thorax with key characteristics for those supporting individuals at risk, non‐invasive measurement of body symmetry as a relevant outcome measure in the effort to protect body shape, the consequences for individuals, their families and service providers, positive feedback from families about the benefits of night positioning, the preventable nature of changes in body shape and the practical steps that may be taken to ensure the safety of the individual. Case studies will be presented which demonstrate that the body is a mobile structure which is vulnerable to distortion but also susceptible to restoration as long as the correct biomechanical forces are applied. It is proposed that therapeutic night positioning is an effective intervention which should be made available to those at risk of body shape distortion from an early age, or as a matter of urgency for those with late onset or temporary immobility.

The study of vascular mechanics is important. The purpose of this paper is to present an apparatus to measure the biomechanical properties of blood vessels, which can be used for tensile test and fatigue test.

This equipment consists of a mechanical test platform, a hardware circuit based on FPGA and control software. The torque generated by stepper motor is converted to axial force by ball screw, and the vascular specimen is stretched axially. The tension is measured by a load cell, and the displacement is recorded by a grating displacement sensor.

According to the results of calibration experiment and stability experiment, the linearity error of the system is 0.251, the hysteresis error is 0.047, the repeatability error is 0.185, the comprehensive error is 0.315 and the standard deviation of the output is less than 0.01 N. A test of animal vascular mechanical properties was carried out, and the results are consistent with the theory.

This apparatus is designed to measure biomechanical properties of blood vessels, and the results of experiments indicate that it is stable and reliable. This work is valuable for studying vascular disease and testing artificial blood vessels.

This paper aims to investigate weight-climbing assistance strategy for the biomechanical design of passive knee-assisting exoskeleton (PKAExo) and evaluate a designed PKAExo which stores energy when the knee joint flexes and releases the energy to assist ascending when the knee joint extends.

The authors constructed theoretic modeling of human weight-climbing to analyze characteristics of knee angle and moment. They then conducted camera-based movement analysis, muscle strength and endurance tests and surface electromyography (sEMG) measures to verify the relationship of knee angle and moment with both stair height and load weight. Afterwards, the authors proposed an assistant strategy for passive knee assistance, then gave out designed PKAExo and conducted mechanical experiment to test the knee-assisting torque. Finally, the authors conducted comparison experiment based on measuring the sEMG signals of knee extensor to verify the assistance effect of the PKAExo for weight-climbing.

The knee extensor produces the maximum force during weight-climbing, and the muscle force provided by knee extensor has significant increasing rate along with the stair height. Thus, the assistance torque of PKAExo is designed to increase nonlinearly along with increasing knee angle. It stores energy when knee flexes and assists when knee extends. Both the mechanical experiment and comparison experiment have demonstrated that the PKAExo is able to provide nonlinear assistance torque for weight-climbing, thus decreasing the average maximum load of knee extensor by about 21 per cent, reducing muscle fatigue and enhancing wearer’s weight-climbing ability.

The authors construct theoretic maximum force model produced by knee extensor for weight-climbing in static situation and conduct a series of experiments to verify and revise the model, which is the fundamental reference for knee-assisting mechanism designed for weight-climbing. The authors have also provided and validated an assistant strategy and the mechanism based on the biomechanical analysis, which aims to translate wearer’s energy-providing mode form high load to mid-low load by storing energy when knee flexes and assisting when knee extends. The PKAExo decreases the maximum load of knee extensor, reduces muscle fatigue and helps people to easily climb with load.