Development of Feeding Support System and Its Quantitative Estimation

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to evaluate quantitatively how the feeding robot we have developed could successfully assist eating behavior of the disabled who need assist for their eating. The robot has designed particularly to have the smooth coordinative movements between dishes and robot arms, by elaborating motion of the manipulator of robot's arms, which enable the disabled to eat all the contents of the plates without any left, as fast as the non-disabled, without spiting the food, with assist of the robot's arm. Thus, the study proved that this feeding robot could assist the disabled to eat as good as the non-disabled in time, in quantities, and in manner.