The objects in this study are the physically handicapped of C4, C5 and C6 levels. A robotic aid system has been developed to support highlevel quadriplegics who possess little or no manipulative function. Many handicapped persons are youths in the prime of life suffering damage from vertebrae cervicales on account of traffic accidents or sports. This study has established a system of technical support by robotic aid for young highlevel quadriplegics. The utility form of robotic aid enables the handicapped to turn over pages or play games using a bookshelf and a personal computer on a desk. The robot is utilized in the deskwork. Then works in different conditions, such as the cosmetic motions of combing the hair in a lavatory and shaving, are performed by the robot mounted on a wheelchair. We thought that a robotic aid system was needed in both partial help and nursing care at home, and proceeded with the following aims. (1) The robot can easily be mounted on the wheelchair. (2) The robot can pick up things on the floor by arranging a rotational mechanism with one degree of freedom on the wheelchair. (3) The robot can be placed on a desk or working table as its weight makes it portable with the assistance of an attendant (about 14 kgf). (4) When the robot is mounted on the wheelchair, it is long enough to reach the head of the handicapped person. (5) As a gripper, a cosmetic electrical prosthesis is utilized which can easily be changed for an electrical prosthesis of hook type. (6) The control system is stored in the robotic body and can easily correspond to the movements. (7) The robot can apply a 3-joint linkage mechanism, as it has a stable motion and rigid body when stretching arms horizontally. (8) The motor software servo is limited to the setting torque for the self-safety. (9) A voice device is utilized for the conversation between robot and the handicapped, which especially abstracts registered words for a synthetic voice. We have mainly developed keeping aims (1) to (8) in mind, because the robot for partially helping can be easily used at home.
