Use Case: Wheelchair with assistive robot

Just install them and you’re ready to go: Anyone who needs motors for their robotics solutions can rely on complete drive systems that are ready for immediate use. Sensodrive’s torque-controlled joint drives can save robotics manufacturers a significant amount of motor development time because they can be incorporated into the design from the very beginning and are easy to install.

Roboterarm Grafik mi 5 Standard-Größen; copyright: Sensodrive

The "SensoJoints" are already safety certified. "This saves manufacturers time and money on lengthy certification processes," explains Managing Director Norbert Sporer. The joints are available in five standard sizes. The torque sensors built into them were developed specifically for robot joints. Their high sensitivity and active vibration damping make them ideal for use in medical devices, whether for surgical robotics or for an assistive wheelchair. The following video demonstrates just how smooth and precise the joints’ movements are:

Use case: Surgical microscopes

How does surgery benefit from vibration damping?

A surgical microscope weighs between 15 and 20 kilograms. This weight must be compensated by the drive system. Norbert Sporer emphasizes: "Doctors must not exert more force than is needed to lift a bar of chocolate; otherwise, they have to wait until their fingertips have steadied again. And with our drive technology, it’s possible to move 20 kilograms with a single feather."

In addition, nothing should vibrate when working at high magnification. Otherwise, the user may feel nauseous when looking through the ocular. Thanks to active vibration damping, surgical microscopes remain stable even when released - without the need for mechanical brakes to engage. This prevents the motors from locking up, allowing them to continue compensating for vibrations continuously. The result is smoother, more precise, and safer procedures, as well as a more efficient workflow in the operating room.

Here's a visual representation of the top 3 features of the SenoJoints

Vibration

Vibration following an impulse is quickly damped and subsides rapidly. SensoJoints feature active vibration damping and can maintain stable positions even when subjected to disruptive forces.

Velocity

The SensoJoint controls the rotational speed with great precision and can run smoothly even at low speeds.

Remaining friction

Graph showing friction skills of SensoJoints; copyright: Sensodrive

Friction compensation works so well that hardly any disruptive residual friction remains; this prevents stick-slip effects and improves sensitivity.

Use case: Wheelchair with AI-powered assistive robot

Safe and responsive control for human-machine interaction

wheelchair with robotic arm; copyright: DLR

Another current project is the AI-assisted robot, which was developed in collaboration with the DLR (German Aerospace Center). The robot is an electric wheelchair equipped with a robotic arm and AI controls. It helps users with tasks such as drinking or picking up objects and is designed to assist people with mobility impairments in their daily lives.

It is controlled via a joystick: Users simply specify a general direction, and the AI handles the rest, automatically adjusting the movements. The robot arm, based on SensoJoints, enables safe and precise movement execution when humans and robots interact. Norbert Sporer reports further on the extremely fast implementation time of the project:

A look inside

Building a ready-to-install robotic drive system

Exploded view of the components of a sensor motor

How manufacturers save time and money during the development process

Reducing development time is crucial in robotics, as it accelerates time-to-market, lowers costs, and minimizes the risk of protracted development setbacks. In particular, for cobots and medical robots, in-house development and safety certification would otherwise often take several years.

Shorter development times enable earlier market launch and a faster response to new requirements. According to Sensodrive, this can lead to savings in the seven-figure range in development, certification, and production costs. The resulting competitive advantage: Companies can integrate advanced technologies sooner and better position themselves in the market.

Norbert Sporer offers tips on how manufacturers can approach a new development process:

Astronaut auf der Raumstation ISS hält eine Durckerkartusche in der Hand; Copyright: Auxilium Biotechnologies

Faster development – faster time to market

According to Sporer, standard components will play a much greater role in robotics in the future. This is where manufacturers can gain a competitive edge. Those who save development time can deliver sooner and respond more quickly to new requirements. According to Sensodrive, this enables savings in development, certification, and production costs in the seven-figure range. Shorter development cycles mean less time spent on technical dead ends, iterations, and delays. The clear competitive advantage: Companies can integrate market-leading technology into their own products sooner and better position themselves in the market.

In robotics, time is not just a factor of production, but a strategic advantage. Those who accelerate development bring innovations to hospitals, factories, and assistive systems more quickly - and in doing so, often help determine who leads the market.

Smiling woman with brown hair - Natascha Mörs; Copyright: beta-web

Author: Natascha Mörs | Editorial team COMPAMED-tradefair.com

Multimedia editor Natascha Mörs has been writing and filming for COMPAMED.de for almost 20 years. She enjoys providing insights into the details of materials, miniaturized components and talking to suppliers of all the components that make medical technology possible.

Torque-controlled complete drives

Save time and costs in the robot manufacturing process