Adaptation of soft robotics technologies for use in the industrial design of medical products

Abstract

In the field of medical product design, available technologies and materials limit the extent to which a product can be developed to best suit the end-users' needs. Certain parameters restrict the design of soft, intelligent devices that require actuation or the need to adapt to the user during use. Conventional designs for medical devices which are in direct contact with the user, predominantly involve rigid plastic or metal components that may be padded with foams or rubber. In order to drive motion in such devices, the options available are either motors (servo, mechanical, etc.) or piston-type drivers that are either pneumatic or hydraulic. This results in complex mechanical designs that are often heavy and costly to manufacture. If designers and engineers are to develop lightweight and more ergonomic products, alternative technologies should be explored, understood and tested. This research project outlines soft robotics technologies (SRTs) in the robotics industry that could be adapted for use by industrial designers to develop soft, lightweight, intelligent and adaptable medical products. One group of SRTs, namely, electro-active polymers (EAPs), has been chosen for in-depth investigation in this study. The features of this SRT are outlined in detail and potential applications explored and discussed. A practical study was conducted with a group of Industrial Design students from the School of Design, Hunan University, China. The results of this focus group are presented and discussed, to show how the use of SRTs is not only feasible, but also allows for novel and innovative designs to be generated. A multi-method qualitative research methodology was followed, making use of two real-world medical design case studies to define the research scope. Data collection methods included document analysis, interviews, questionnaires and a participatory design focus group. The findings demonstrate the viability for the use of SRTs, specifically EAPs, to actuate elements of a device/product and allow for solutions that are compact, lightweight and superior to available alternatives. The limitations of this study are contained to the SRTs discussed, with a focus on actuation, in the context of industrial design. Although the technology has broad applications, this study focuses specifically on the use of SRTs in medical product design.