A hip-knee-ankle exoskeleton emulator for studying gait assistance
A hip-knee-ankle exoskeleton emulator for studying gait assistance
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DOI：
10.1177/0278364920961452
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发表时间：
2021-04-01
影响因子：
9.2
通讯作者：
Collins, Steven H.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Bryan, Gwendolyn M.;Franks, Patrick W.;Collins, Steven H.
下肢外骨骼可以改善残疾人、老年人、工人、急救人员和军事人员的行动能力。尽管最近取得了进展，但很少有产品可用于商业，外骨骼研究仍然经常受到硬件限制。许多有前途的多关节辅助策略，特别是那些具有高扭矩和高功率组件的策略，尚未经过测试，因为它们超出了当前设备的能力。为了研究这些未经测试的辅助策略，我们提出了一个髋-膝-踝外骨骼仿真器，它可以施加匹配或超过上坡跑步中观察到的高扭矩和功率。该系统具有强大的非机载电机，驱动用户佩戴的13.5公斤外骨骼末端执行器。它可以在髋关节屈曲、髋关节伸展和踝关节跖屈时施加高达200 Nm的扭矩，在膝关节伸展时施加250 Nm的扭矩，在膝关节屈曲时施加140 Nm的扭矩，每个关节的功率超过4.5 kW，每个驱动方向的闭环扭矩带宽至少为18 Hz。外骨骼在未致动方向上是顺应性的，可针对广泛的用户进行调节，并且在行走和跑步期间是舒适的。当与人在环优化相结合时，我们预计该系统将确定新的辅助策略，以提高人类的流动性。一个完整的计算机辅助设计（CAD）模型的外骨骼和材料清单包括和可供下载。
Lower-limb exoskeletons could improve the mobility of people with disabilities, older adults, workers, first responders, and military personnel. Despite recent advances, few products are commercially available and exoskeleton research is still often limited by hardware constraints. Many promising multi-joint assistance strategies, especially those with high-torque and high-power components, have yet to be tested because they are beyond the capabilities of current devices. To study these untested assistance strategies, we present a hip-knee-ankle exoskeleton emulator that can apply high torques and powers that match or exceed those observed in uphill running. The system has powerful off-board motors that actuate a 13.5 kg exoskeleton end effector worn by the user. It can apply up to 200 Nm of torque in hip flexion, hip extension, and ankle plantarflexion, 250 Nm of torque in knee extension, and 140 Nm of torque in knee flexion, with over 4.5 kW of power at each joint and a closed-loop torque bandwidth of at least 18 Hz in each direction of actuation. The exoskeleton is compliant in unactuated directions, adjustable for a wide range of users and comfortable during walking and running. When paired with human-in-the-loop optimization, we expect that this system will identify new assistance strategies to improve human mobility. A complete computer-aided design (CAD) model of the exoskeleton and a bill of materials are included and available for download.