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Mirror system for hand orthoses

Fierkens, R.I.K. (2014) Mirror system for hand orthoses.

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Abstract:An orthesis is an externally worn mechanism for correcting misalignments or abnormal movements of the human body. It supports the human body and/or helps to reduce the rehabilitation time of a patient. Nowadays, the demand for perfect custom fitted orthoses increases thanks to the maturing technology, the need of more effective rehabilitation and the demand for more comfort for the patient. A custom fitted orthosis is a highly specialized device that is manufactured for a specific patient to meet the specific needs of the individual, so it is not suitable for another person. Because Hankamp Rehab produces several products concerning hand orthoses, the company is interested whether these products can be transformed into custom fitted orthoses to be more compliant to the customer needs. Fur such a transformation the geometry of the patient’s hand is needed. Previously, the traditional way of the manufacturing process of a custom fitted orthesis required a lot of time, with the involvement of several clinicians and specialists. Therefore, it is desirable to master the techniques required to make custom fitted orthoses indoors. This can be achieved by using a combination of a 3D scanner, a 3D printer and associated software. The 3D scan of the hand enables to obtain required information of the geometry of the limb and with the use of the software it is possible to print the custom fitted orthoses with the 3D printer. In order to acquire a complete scan of a limb, scans from different sides of the limb are needed. This is achieved by applying mirrors in such a way that it results in a perfect representation of the scanned surface of the human hand. The configuration and the feasibility of this solution are investigated in this report. Firstly it was necessary to make a mathematical model of the scanning system in order to understand the scanning system better and to enable the definition of the requirements and characteristics of the different parts of this optical system. With the help of this model the assignment was further elaborated. Next the properties and the influence of the usage of mirrors were investigated; this resulted in a selection of a suitable system. Subsequently, the properties of this chosen setup were investigated and a choice was made for a total system, as robust as possible, to ensure the highest level of detail. Thereafter a prototype was built based on the principles of the theoretic system and test scans were performed with it. Besides that a combining algorithm was created to merge the scans of the different sides of the hand. Finally, a manual was made which enables Hankamp Rehab to work with this prototype and to enable further development of the system. The goal of this report was to provide an answer to the next research question: “Is it possible to create an automatic process which makes a complete 3D scan of the hand, using mirrors to obtain two simultaneous scans and a mathematical software package to combine these individual scans, to gain a custom fitted hand orthosis which can be printed by a 3D printer?” The answer to this question is yes, it is possible, but only if many requirements are met. However, the created prototype is too primitive to perform the entire procedure in a satisfying way. Therefore it is recommended to further improve the prototype.
Item Type:Internship Report (Master)
Clients:
Hankamp Rehab, the Netherlands
Faculty:ET: Engineering Technology
Subject:52 mechanical engineering
Programme:Mechanical Engineering MSc (60439)
Keywords:optics, 3D scanner, human hand, mirrors, prototype, mathematics, 3D printer, practice
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/69267
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