HRX-1 - A Portable, Backdrivable Force-feedback Interface for the Wrist
In 2011, the Human Robotics Group at Imperial College London designed and built Hi5 - a high performance torque feedback interface for the wrist which has been used in studies ranging from human motor control to haptic sensations and even physical treatments for neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease. In 2020, I returned to Imperial College tasked with taking the full sized robot and producing a portable, commercialisable version.
Production
The result - the HRX-1 - is a fully portable reimagining of the original robot. At less than 10KG fully packaged, it can be easily transported between research labs, clinics and researchers' or patients' homes. It's 600W brushless DC motor can generate up to 4Nm of torque and the handle can measure up to 11Nm of input torque. Software is provided for control and data logging through MATLAB, which also offers integration with a variety of other devices, sensors and software packages.
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The robot is now being sold through a start-up - Human Robotix Ltd. Based out of my garage in South-East London, each robot is proudly built in Britain. The robots are already being used in universities in Europe and North America with hopefully more to come.
Key Collaborators
- Professor Etienne Burdet, Imperial College London
- Dr Aaron Yurkewich, Imperial College London
- Dr Ildar Farkhatdinov, Queen Mary University of London