Wearable Mobile Arm Support

Our client, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), proposed the design project for "Dimensional Inspection and Defect Identification for Nuclear Fuels". The goal of this project is to create a test bench that facilitates the inspection of irradiated nuclear fuel rods, identifying and characterizing external as well as internal defects. The two primary methods to be used for this inspection are thermal imaging and optical profilometry.

Background
Stroke patients often lose their arms range of motion on the affected side, but it has been proven that by eliminating gravity they can regain this motion. The University of Idaho has designed an arm support that supports the arm and could allow these stroke patients to regain their lost motion. Our objective is to understand its shortcoming, identify sources of error, and improve the system.

Design Goals

 * Reduce friction that is present in the current design
 * Design a wearable model
 * Improve elbow stability when the arm is extended
 * Implement safety features
 * Devise a method to make the system support different weights easily
 * Create a more aesthetically pleasing system

Project Learning

 * Pulley Board friction testing:
 * >insert here<
 * Material reduction hypothesis testing:
 * >insert here<

Optical Profilometers
We have concluded that the Novacam is the more flexible alternative, and have recommended it for purchase.



Meeting Minutes

 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Sep16_2014_Minutes.pdf|September 16, 2014]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Sep30_2014_Minutes.pdf|September 30, 2014]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Oct7_2014_Minutes.pdf|October 7, 2014]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Oct28_2014_Minutes.pdf|October 28, 2014]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Nov6_2014_Minutes.pdf|November 6, 2014]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Nov13_2014_Minutes.pdf|November 13, 2014]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Jan20_2015_Minutes.pdf|January 20, 2015]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Feb10_2015_Minutes.pdf|February 10, 2015]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Feb17_2015_Minutes.pdf|February 17, 2015]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Mar3_2015_Minutes.pdf|March 3, 2015]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Mar24_2015_Minutes.pdf|March 24, 2015]]


 * [[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Apr21_2015_Minutes.pdf|April 21, 2015]]

Other
Project Timeline

[[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_SPERT_Tests_Summary.pdf|INL SPERT Tests Summary]]

[[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Profilometer_Research_Summary.pdf|Profilometer Research Summary]]

[[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Team_Contract.pdf|Team Contract]]

[[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Design_Review.pdf|Design Review (November 21, 2014)]]

[[Media:2014_FuelRodDefectDetection_Expo_Presentation.pdf|2015 Expo Technical Presentation]]