NRI: FND: Soft Wearable Robots for Injury Prevention and Performance Augmentation

肌肉骨骼疾病是暴露于体力劳动的工人受伤的主要原因，其中超过三分之一的伤害是由于过度用力引起的。每年约有560亿美元的损失是由于电梯相关的伤害。外骨骼的新兴技术具有减少生物力学负荷的潜力，从而防止工人受伤。然而，广泛采用这项技术的障碍来自于由于超重、运动范围受限和高压集中而引起的不适。该项目旨在探索可穿戴机器人作为无处不在的合作机器人的新设计，以应对这些挑战。拟议的生物灵感，柔软，背部支撑外骨骼将提供关节力矩援助，同时重量轻，不显眼。我们的软背支撑外骨骼包括1）一个软的外骨骼，是轻量级的设计架构（生物启发，电缆驱动机制）和驱动（高扭矩密度致动器）克服了刚性外骨骼的限制（沉重，限制活动范围）和基于纺织品的软外装（中等重量，在组织上施加高压浓度）;和2）可穿戴传感器及其生物关节力矩的现场估计算法，以表征和防止损伤。所提出的外骨骼提出了一个很有前途的解决方案，在协助伤害预防和性能增强。就其社会影响而言，它将提高生活和工作质量，并解决机器人对我们工人的社会和经济影响。因此，它将有一个直接的巨大收益的经济，健康和福利的我们的社会。本项目的目标是探索新的研究和设计的软穿戴协作机器人，以尽量减少伤害的工人容易疲劳和肌肉骨骼疾病。该项目将专注于1）设计生物启发的软背部支撑外骨骼，这是一种混合可穿戴机器人，联合收割机了刚性外骨骼和软外骨骼的优点，同时最大限度地减少了各自的局限性; 2）探索使用可穿戴传感器来表征生物关节力矩的现场估计算法，以检测疲劳开始;以及3）评估外骨骼的性能及其防止损伤的有效性。这项研究的贡献包括工程创新，包括新的设计方法和软机器人的使能技术，以及理解人机交互和生物力学的科学基础和工具。1)机器人技术的进步软外骨骼设计架构将实现一种新型的可穿戴机器人设计，该设计舒适、功能强大且多功能。高扭矩密度驱动器将显著降低外骨骼的重量并增加透明度。2)理解人机交互。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Musculoskeletal disorders are a leading cause of injury among workers who are exposed to physical workloads, with overexertion in lifting causing over one-third of these injuries. Every year approximately $56 billion is lost due to lift related injuries. The emerging technologies of exoskeletons hold promising potential to reduce biomechanical loads, thereby preventing worker injury. The obstacles to widespread adoption of this technology, however, arise from discomfort due to excessive weight, restricted range of motion, and high-pressure concentration. This project seeks to explore a new design for wearable robots as ubiquitous co-robots to address these challenges. The proposed bio-inspired, soft, back-support exoskeletons will provide joint moment assistance, while being lightweight and unobtrusive. Our soft back-support exoskeleton consists of 1) a soft exoskeleton that is lightweight as its design architecture (bio-inspired, cable-driven mechanism) and actuation (high-torque density actuators) overcome the limitations of rigid exoskeletons (heavy, limit range of motion) and textile-based soft exosuits (medium weight, exert high pressure concentration on tissue); and 2) wearable sensors and its on-site estimation algorithms of biological joint moment to characterize and prevent injuries. The proposed exoskeleton presents a promising solution in assisting injury prevention and performance augmentation. In terms of its societal impact, it will improve the quality of life and work as well as address the social and economic impact of robots on our workers. Thus, it will have a direct massive gain to the economy, health, and welfare of our society.The goal of this project is to explore new research and design of soft wearable collaborative robots to minimize injuries of workers prone to fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders. The project will focus on 1) designing bio-inspired soft back-support exoskeletons which are hybrid wearable robots that combine the advantages of rigid exoskeletons and soft exosuits while minimizing their respective limitations; 2) exploring on-site estimation algorithms using wearable sensors to characterize the biological joint moments to detect fatigue onset; and 3) evaluating the performance of the exoskeletons and its effectiveness for injury prevention. The contributions of this research entail both engineering innovations including new design methodology and enabling technologies for soft robots, as well as scientific foundation and tools to understand human-robot interaction and biomechanics. 1) Advances in robotics. Soft exoskeleton design architecture will enable a new type of wearable robot design that is comfortable, powerful, and versatile. High torque density actuators will significantly reduce the weight and increase the transparency of exoskeletons. 2) Understanding of human-robot interaction. The investigation into lifting biomechanics and assistive control strategy will shed light on human-robot interactions and improve human and robot performances.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.