Robotics Laboratory - Developing a Robotic Hand Prosthesis

This paper presents a Robotics Laboratory conceived for Bioengineering students. The laboratory work is structured in two stages - in the first one, students use simulators and the ready-to-use platforms and in the second stage, which is structured as a project, they are involved in carrying out their own platforms. The solutions chosen for the development of these platforms must be inexpensive and must makes students to experience the basic stages of a hands-on bioengineering project. The project include simulation, hardware development, software design and implementation. For the project stage, the steps for making an affordable prosthetic hand with a high flexibility and functionality will be presented. The paper describes the project phases, the students activities and some relevant results of the survey regarding the students' opinion about this laboratory.