Abstract
Recently, 3D printed compliant mechanisms have been expected not only in engineering purposes, but also in supportive devices of human motions especially for human joint problems. On the other hand, the establishment of a systematic design principle is the issue to provide an actual solution for the target body problem, i.e. the personalization. In the present study, we proposed a systematic method to design flexible bars to reduce the burden of the human joint. The proposed concept was verified in computational analyses and the 3D printer productions were demonstrated in an actual implementation as prototypes. In computational analyses, larger deformations of the bars were analyzed to absorb the stress occurring a flexing action in joint’s motion. Theoretical analysis and experiments were demonstrated its flexibility and support functions during the flexion and extension of the knee motion. It indicates that high importance of the geometrical analysis of the orthosis design in the sense of compliant mechanisms.
https://ror.org/02278tr80 
