Researchers have developed a high-load cable-driven nursing robot designed to assist with transferring bedridden patients, addressing caregiver shortages in aging societies. The arm mimics human muscle antagonistic drive using flexible cables, with motors and reducers placed at the rear to reduce moving-part inertia and mass. This yields kinematics and dynamics close to a human arm, improving flexibility and safety during human-robot interaction.
Key takeaways
- Single arm weighs only 5 kg yet achieves 15 kg end-effector payload and 30 kg elbow load capacity, with repeat positioning accuracy under 0.4 mm.
- A dual-motor direct-drive differential mechanism at the shoulder enhances load capability and load-to-weight ratio.
- An elbow variable-stiffness structure, combined with stiffness modeling and active control, provides adjustable compliant interaction for different care task phases.
- Physical experiments successfully completed an assisted lifting and transfer task, validating performance and variable-stiffness compliant control for safe, efficient nursing applications.
This design offers a promising approach for integrating high payload capacity with intrinsic safety in robotic care systems, potentially easing physical strain on caregivers and improving patient handling in clinical and home settings.
Source: 《机器人》期刊 (robot.sia.cn) · Published 2026-03-15 · “面向移乘护理操作的大负载绳驱机器人设计与变刚度控制”