Figure 2-5 - uploaded by Nick Hockings
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The skeleton of the 3D-printed finger connected by crocheted ligaments and laser-cut joint soft tissues. Note: All the crocheted ligaments are anchored by 1 mm screws at their biological insertion sites. Fig.5 from [54] .
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The hands and feet account for half of the complexity of the musculoskeletal system, while the skin of the hand is specialised with many important structures. Much of the subtlety of the mechanism of the hand lies in the soft tissues, and the tactile and proprioceptive sensitivity depends on the large number of mechanoreceptors embedded in specific...
Citations
... Mechanical engineering approaches rely on the expectation that the artificial hand design approach is quantifiable. The following reasons provided by [1] providing insight as to why mimicking the human body is not a straight forward process. ...
... Within their approach there was a new idea to incorporate joint capsules at each joint. Further studies [1] in the same year presented work on mimicking the mechanics and material properties possessed by the human hand and incorporating them into working artificial prototypes. The work presented herein emphasis the synergistic tendon networks, bone configuration, bone orientation, and joint development that are required in artificial hand design. ...
... As shown in Eqs. (1) and (2) the location of the insertion in the vertical direction is governed by the variable, y. If, y ¼ 0 the insertion is located along the x-axis. ...
The biomechanical design of an artificial anthropomorphic manipulator is the focus of many researchers in diverse fields. Current electromechanical artificial hands are either in the research stage, expensive, have patents, lack severely in function, and/or are driven by robotic/mechanical principles, which tend to ignore the biological requirements of such designs. In response to the challenges addressed above this chapter discusses the potential of current technology and methods used in design to bridge the chasm that exists between robot manipulators and the human hand. This chapter elucidates artificial anthropomorphic manipulator design by outlining biomechanical concepts that contribute to the function, esthetics and performance of artificial manipulators. This chapter addresses joint stabilization, tendon structures and tendon excursion in artificial anthropomorphic manipulators.
... This is expected to be most relevant to functional emulation of anatomical structure. In this regard, the subtleties of fibrous soft tissue anatomy are likely to be beneficial to the design of robots (for example the review of hand anatomy and the manufacturing techniques in Hockings, 2016). In particular the functionality of ligamentous joints, anatomical tendon networks, and dermal structures has not been matched in robotics. ...
... Materials and techniques for building robots based on such anatomical structures were presented in Hockings (2016).This incudes (i) an explanation of the nature of anatomical knowledge for engineers (section 1.2), and (ii) how to emulate the material and mechanical properties of anatomy with synthetic materials (section 1.3). Of particular importance are the fibrous composite nature of tissues, the elastomeric properties of the various tissue matrices, and how the topology of fibers creates mechanisms. ...
... The immediately available way to build such structures would be hand lay-up with thermoplastic elastomer matrices (Hockings, 2016). Two critically lacking technologies are (i) somatosensory nervous system, and (ii) an actuator matching the mechanical characteristics of skeletal muscle. ...
We present some currently unused morphogenetic mechanisms from evolutionary biology and guidelines for transfer to evolutionary robotics. (1) DNA patterns providing mutation of mutability, lead to canalization of evolvable bauplans, via kin selection. (2) Morphogenetic mechanisms (i) Epigenetic cell lines provide functional cell types, and identification of cell descent. (ii) Local anatomical coordinates based on diffusion of morphogens, facilitate evolvable genetic parameterizations of complex phenotypes (iii) Remodeling in response to mechanical forces facilitates robust production of well-integrated phenotypes of greater complexity than the genome. An approach is proposed for the tractable application of mutation-of-mutability and morphogenetic mechanisms in evolutionary robotics. The purpose of these methods, is to facilitate production of robot mechanisms of the subtlety, efficiency, and efficacy of the musculoskeletal and dermal systems of animals.
... The retinacular ligaments of the digital extensors are usually too thin and sheet-like to be palpated through the skin, but the mechanical effect can be felt by trying to push the extensor tendons across the back of the hand at right angles to the path of the tendons. For a detailed introduction to anatomical tissues and mechanisms see [69] 4 Morphogenesis ...
Cuvier's objection is a fundamental problem in evolution, closely related to the No Free Lunch theorems, which concerns how it is possible for mutation to produce viable changes in complex phenotypes. Solutions to Cuvier's objection are intrinsically domain specific, because they embody information about co-dependencies within the phenotype. Morphogenet-ics provides such a solution in biology, which is potentially beneficial to transfer to mechatronic and soft robotics. The current knowledge of morphogenesis, genetic control and evolution in multicellular animals is examined, with emphasis on vertebrates and the development of complex functional anatomy. These morphogenetic mechanisms allow body plans to be expressed such that their fitness function is smooth with respect to mutation, such that they can be optimised in micro-evolution. We show that true innovation in major transitions is fundamentally different from micro-evolution, because it involves the discovery of new information about co-dependencies in viable phenotypes for the new domain of niches. Cuvier's objection plays an important role in the evolution of mutability, via kin-selection restricting evolution to mutationally safe genotypes. The conditions leading to major transitions and diversification indicate an important role for ecological evoluton of niches, driven by changing geography, climate and relations with other species, as a driver of genetic evolution.
