Biomedical Engineering Society: Robotic Hand Design - Spring 2019

The Biomedical Engineering Society at UCLA (BMES) is an undergraduate student org for students interested in biomedical engineering, biotech, medical devices, and other related subjects. The design team is a subdivision of BMES whose goal is to design and manufacture a product or device for laboratory use, medical utility, or research purposes. The robotic hand their team designed uses a tendon based transmission system to move 3D printed fingers in a manner that mimics biology. Their robotic hand design used fishing line to mimic the tendons of the human hand, rather than use motorized gears at the joints.

Table of Contents

Faculty Member(s) / Advisors

Professor Sonia Luna

Graduate or Undergratuate

Undergraduate

Students

Bhrugu Mallajosyula

Challenges met

The BMES Design Team developed a robotic hand and printed the first two fingers using the MakerSpace in Boelter Hall, but ran into logistical issues due to the low availability of printers. Because the MakerSpace is first come, first serve, one of their members would have to wait at 7am each morning to try and access an available printer before other students and student groups. After having difficulty printing their first to parts, they submitted their remaining print requests with the Lux Lab. They were able to get their parts printed within a few days without needing their members to sacrifice their personal or academic time.

Pictures

The completed robotic hand, with parts printed by our Makerbots in black filament

A previous prototype, using an acrylic chassis cover cut using the Lux Lab's laser cutter

A video of the working robotic hand