The design and construction of a large scale-force feedback joystick for the use in physiotherapy

Abstract

The design and construction of the joystick in this project is aimed at helping stroke patients in rehabilitation, the joystick will help exercise the wrist muscles. The joystick will have assistive behavior. This assistive behavior will work such that a patient will follow a target and if they go off course the joystick will act as to assist them to go back on course. A cube steel structure was designed as the structure for the joystick, the joystick was built using 25 x 25 x 3 steel beams this steel structure is to house the motors as well. A pulley system was used to transmit the motion of the motor to the stick and to transmit the motion of the stick to the motors. With a potentiometer mounted on the motor shaft as to determine the motor position. An Arduino Deicimila development board used to control the motors hence the joystick. A servo motor was used in this project. The motors were be programmed to move back and forth in a straight line and the force feedback will be applied so as the motors to help the patient move in the right direction a PID was be incorporated in to the control system so as to correct the errors in the shortest time possible. If time permits the joystick will be programmed to move in a rotational motion so as to get the total wrist exercise. The design of the casing for the joystick, the hardware and software were completed, testing was completed as well.