Hello Forum,

I am working on a biomedical project that involves the simulation of a moving back spine. This would not involve the whole upper body but only the lower back section.

What I am looking for is somehow small robotics components that can be programmed to a microcontroller in order to simulate movement when desired.

I'm looking for something in the likes of joints.. Can someone please guide me as to what parts I need or should look for so that I can look for them?

I am not very familiar with the robotics side of electronics thus asking for your help.

Any kind of help is welcome.

Thank you to all in advance.

 

Surf, buddy! There's places like kcrobotics and robotshop and plenty others that have online catalogs of parts.

For anything like a human spine, you really would have to fabricate your own, as the disc filled joint isn't used in many machines or robots. You are simulating the movement of an externally supported and manipulated frame of rigid members.

Perhaps "track" could be useful, but still the common joints in robots are hinged or actuated by servo or solenoid, and most often as an integrated assembly. You might even consider Lego.

 

This place might have something suitable for parts/materials. (I've not been a customer and have no connection with the company).

 

Maybe a bicycle / motorcycle chain. You can glue every 2 or 3 links solid to make the joints farther apart. You can glue strips of wood on each of those sections to restrict the movement to the range of each joint. If you abuse a chain, you can make it twist and flex sideways a little.

 

Without knowing more on what's going to be done, how about using this? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...MIquy6gvy41gIVzIl-Ch2PJQxcEAQYAyABEgLq__D_BwE To make it stiffer, if needed, just slide a piece of the correct size vinyl tubing through it.

 

A spine is the way it is for many reasons. One of those is to protect the spinal cord within and the nerve branches as they exit the spine.

My point is that you're not likely trying to replicate ALL the functions of the spine. If you can specify those properties of the spine that you want to emulate, we might be able to help get closer. Does it need to support a vertical load (how much), does it need to rotate (how many degrees), does it need to bend (what radius of curvature)? Does it need to interface with a skull and a pelvis at opposite ends? Any attached ribs?

 

A spine is the way it is for many reasons. One of those is to protect the spinal cord within and the nerve branches as they exit the spine.

My point is that you're not likely trying to replicate ALL the functions of the spine. If you can specify those properties of the spine that you want to emulate, we might be able to help get closer. Does it need to support a vertical load (how much), does it need to rotate (how many degrees), does it need to bend (what radius of curvature)? Does it need to interface with a skull and a pelvis at opposite ends? Any attached ribs?

Absolutely! It's for simulation of a Lumbar Puncture Procedure. Basically, if the patient cannot sit upright, which I suppose is when the lumbar is the most relaxed, the patient must be laying left sideways with legs curled up for the most flexion possible (keeping it obviously in a human-like way). I was thinking of some method like DNA Robotics said:

Maybe a bicycle / motorcycle chain. You can glue every 2 or 3 links solid to make the joints farther apart. You can glue strips of wood on each of those sections to restrict the movement to the range of each joint. If you abuse a chain, you can make it twist and flex sideways a little.

I also got the spine model in order to have the blueprint/base of what is to be of this device.