Download Development of the Linear EAM Brake Device for the Application to

Development of the linear EAM brake device for the application to
the lower extremity orthosis
Genki Yamada, Kazuyuki Mitsui, Tadashi Yasui , Kouzi Sakurai and Hidenobu Anzai

Abstract— The EAM is a functional material sheet which we
developed. When the EAM is sandwiched between electrodes,
the force of attracting electrodes is occurred by applying a high
voltage. And when the electrode is made to slide, the shearing
resistance force, made by that force attracting electrode, occurs
between the electrode and EAM. We developed the linear
brake device using this EAM. Then, we evaluated performance
of that device and the result of the evaluation was reported.
I. INTRODUCTION
Many gait disorder persons who have disorder owing to loss
of muscle strength by injury or cerebral apoplexy is in the
world. The lower extremity orthosis is used in order to
support the person who have disorder. However, the existing
lower extremity orthosis has only the fixing or relief
function. Consequently, the case of a bending knee and the
case of a lengthened knee cannot be changed. If
development of the small and lightweight brake device
which can fix the angle in the knees in arbitrary positions
and it is canceled and the lower extremity orthosis is
equipped it, we thought that the lower extremity orthosis in
which easy walk support, walk support of walking on stair,
etc. are possible can be developed. Then, we paid my
attention to the EAM (Electro Attractive Material).
II. EAM
The EAM (Electro attractive material) was developed by us,
and it is new functional material sheet which dispersed
particles which polarize easily in the silicone rubber. This
EAM has the force attracting the electrode when the EAM is
sandwiched between electrodes and a high voltage is
applied. And when the electrode is made to slide, the
shearing resistance force, made by that force attracting
electrode, occurs between the electrode and EAM. It is a
new functional material. The shearing resistance force is
controllable by the size of voltage, and the contact area of
the EAM and the electrode. And the shearing resistance
force occurs by tens of microampere current.
III. THE LINEAR EAM BRAKE DEVICE
We developed the brake device which can generate
resistance in linear direction taking advantage of EAM. Then,
we called that brake device the linear EAM brake device. On
the measured result of the shear resistance force of the linear
EAM brake device and the relation of the voltage, the shear
resistance force increased with the increase in voltage. And,
when voltage was 700 V, the shear resistance force was 52.9
N. From those results, the linear EAM brake device has been
confirmed that it was possible to adjust breaking force by
control of voltage. Therefore, we thought it possible to apply
it to lower extremity orthosis. However, with this device,
since the occurring shear resistance force was small,
consideration of a method which generates stronger shear
resistance force was needed. The combination of an
electrode and EAM was called the unit. Then, we devised
the method of piling up many of the unit and making
resistance increase by multilayering. The small linear EAM
brake device which can generate strong resistance was
developed by using multilayering units. We called it the
multi-layer linear EAM brake device. We measured in order
to confirm whether strong resistance is generated by
increasing the unit of the multi-layer linear EAM brake
device. As a result, the resistance of the multi-layer linear
EAM brake device became large in proportion to the number
of the units.
IV. LOWER EXTREMITY ORTHOSIS
From measurement of the multi-layer linear EAM brake
device, it is thought possible to generate the resistance
supporting the body by further increasing the number of the
units. And, since magnetism does not occur, the multi-layer
linear EAM brake device has not a bad influence on a human
body and a machine. Terefore we thought that lower
extremity orthosis which offers advanced support could be
developed by using the multi-layer linear EAM brake
device.
V. CONCLUSION
(a) Attractive force
(b) Shear resistance force
Fig. 1 Force between EAM and electrode
Genki Yamada is with the Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo
Denki University, Tokyo, Japan (e-mail: [email protected]).
Kazuyuki Mitsui is with Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo Denki
University, Tokyo, Japan (e-mail:[email protected])
Tadashi Yasui is with Kawamura Gishi Co., Ltd, Osaka, Japan.
(e-mail:[email protected])
Kouzi Sakurai is with Fujikura Kasei Co., LTD. ,Saitama,
Japan.(e-mail:[email protected])
Hidenobu Anzai is with Fujikura Kasei Co., LTD. ,Saitama, Japan
(e-mail:[email protected]).
In this research, we succeeded in development of the linear
brake device which can perform control by voltage. The
resistance of this brake device was a value which can be
used for lower extremity orthosis.
REFERENCES
[1] K.Kumagai “Development of the wearable upper limb training
equipment using the multi-layer EAM brake device” 34th Annual
International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and
Biology Society. Abstract book EMBC 2012.