Development of Monopod-supported Wearable Robot Arm: Third Arm

Abstract

The construction work of the ceiling panel is a heavy labor of screwing with an electric screwdriver while supporting the large and heavy ceiling panel by one person. In recent years, with the declining birthrate and aging population, there is an increasing need for assisting devices that enable elderly people and women to perform ceiling panel construction work. However, it is difficult to introduce large machines especially at construction sites such as detached houses, and floors are often not maintained at construction sites, so small-scale and easy-to-move assist devices are desirable. In this report, we have developed a monopod-supported wearable third-arm robot arm that assists ceiling panel construction work at a construction site. The developed robot realizes screwing on the ceiling panel by force control, and also implements swing correction control that detects the swing of a person by the IMU and corrects the deviation of the hand.