This paper is done based on the research result for my research program. Testing results indicate that the maximal cross coupling of the 2-DOF micro-positioning stage is less than 0.1% under the full workspace with the natural frequency of 348.31Hz. The purpose of all work is to design a compliant mechanism for applying the micro-nano-positioning system. And that this work also extends my research interest in my PhD period.

A novel computational design tool to calculate the elasto-kinematic flexure hinge properties is presented. Four hinge contours are implemented. It is shown, that FEM results correlate well with the analytical design tool results. For a given deflection angle of 10° and a corner-filleted contour, the deviations of the bending stiffness are between 0.1 % and 9.4 %. The design tool can be beneficial for the accelerated and systematic synthesis of compliant mechanisms with optimized flexure hinges.

In rehabilitation, the widely existing misalignment between human limb and exoskeleton causes discomfort even danger. To alleviate the misalignment in lower extremity exoskeleton, this study proposes a compliant parallel mechanism, which has the potential to automatically change its configuration to make exoskeleton knee joint fit the human joint movements. And the self-alignment performance of the mechanism is validated via conducting a series of experiments under different working conditions.

This paper presents a way to model the rotational constraint between beam elements in 3-D space. Beam elements are models used to simulate the behavior of slender objects. Such objects can be found for e.g. in bridges, space structures, robots, and networks of fibers (paper, cloth, biological tissue, etc). In many cases, beam elements are welded or bonded together. To model this bonding, the relative displacements and rotations shall be limited at the contact point using appropriate constraints.

The present work describes the design and build of a new completely mechanical propulsion system for manual wheelchairs for use in ascending or descending long ramps. The design is characterized by a self-locking mechanism that activates automatically to brake the chair when the user stops pushing. The main component of the propulsion system is a planetary gear train that can self-lock, this means that the user does not need to activate external brakes.