Accuracy of a hexapod parallel robot kinematics based external fixator.

Background: Different hexapod-based external fixators are increasingly used to treat bone deformities and fractures. Accuracy has not been measured sufficiently for all models.
Methods: An infrared tracking system was applied to measure positioning maneuvers with a motorized Precision Hexapod® fixator, detecting three-dimensional positions of reflective balls mounted in an L-arrangement on the fixator, simulating bone directions. By omitting one dimension of the coordinates, projections were simulated as if measured on standard radiographs. Accuracy was calculated as the absolute difference between targeted and measured positioning values.
Results: In 149 positioning maneuvers, the median values for positioning accuracy of translations and rotations (torsions/angulations) were below 0.3 mm and 0.2° with quartiles ranging from -0.5 mm to 0.5 mm and -1.0° to 0.9°, respectively.
Conclusions: The experimental setup was found to be precise and reliable. It can be applied to compare different hexapod-based fixators. Accuracy of the investigated hexapod system was high.
(Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)