Semi-passive wearable robotic devices for improving human walking economy

技术使辅助移动设备取得了重大进展，提高了加拿大行动不便者的生活质量。随着人口老龄化，越来越多的加拿大人将面临与流动性挑战有关的生活方式变化。一个令人兴奋的研究领域涉及可穿戴下肢机器人设备，为行走困难的人提供独立的承诺。 改善步行经济性一直被认为是开发可穿戴下肢机器人装置的重要目标之一。目前，只有一款电池供电的便携式设备克服了自身重量，降低了用户的行走成本。然而，该装置是复杂的并且需要电源。为了最大限度地减少对外部电池电源的依赖，拟议的研究旨在利用用户浪费的能量来提高步行经济性。未来五年的短期目标将侧重于在开发无源和半无源设备时使用能量收集/回收原理。这一发展是更好地了解障碍的第一步，并为实现利用节能可穿戴机器人设备改善步行经济性的长期目标提供解决方案。计划进行两项研究：（1）能量收集方法。(2)一种跨部门的能源回收方法。 能量收集的方法是基于我以前开发的能量收集背包。将开展三个领域的工作：（a）收割机建模和参数优化。(b)器件致动定时控制和电阻匹配。(c)学习和适应步行经济。 跨关节能量回收方法的基本原理是支持积极的肌肉工作更有效。通过使用设备有意地控制能量流，用户将执行更少的机械工作，从而节省能量。将调查两个领域：（a）能源回收装置的开发和测试。第一阶段是开发一种柔软的可穿戴外骨骼，使用位于背包中的弹簧组件被动地存储和释放能量。第二阶段是用一种半无源器件来提高性能，这种器件可以以受控的方式在能量收集或释放状态下工作。(b)肌肉骨骼模拟，用于设备优化。为了确定最佳器械参数，将开发OpenSim模型，以模拟肌肉水平的人/器械交互。 两个博士，两个硕士，和10名本科生将在这个研究计划进行培训。这项研究很可能会在能源自给自足的外骨骼领域取得突破，这将对行动不便的人和老年人的生活产生巨大影响。此外，这项研究将产生新的知识产权，商业化将直接有利于加拿大经济。

Technology has enabled significance advances in assistive mobility devices that have improved the quality of life for Canadians with mobility impairments. As the population ages, more Canadians will be faced with lifestyle changes related to mobility challenges. One exciting area of research involves wearable lower-limb robotic devices that offer the promise of independence to individuals with walking difficulties. Improving walking economy has long been considered as one important objective in developing wearable lower-limb robotic devices. Currently, only one battery-powered portable device has overcome its own weight and reduced the user’s walking cost. However, the device is complicated and requires a power source. To minimize the reliance on external battery power, the proposed research aims at harnessing otherwise wasted energy from the user to improve walking economy. The short-term objective over the next five years will focus on using energy harvesting/recycling principles in developing passive and semi-passive devices. The development serves as a first step to better understand the barriers and to provide solutions towards the long-term goal of improving walking economy with energy efficient wearable robotic devices. Two streams of research are planned: (1) an energy harvesting approach. (2) a cross-joint energy recycling approach. The energy harvesting approach is rooted on my previous development of an energy harvesting backpack. Three areas of work will be carried out: (a) harvester modeling and parameter optimization. (b) device actuation timing control and resistance matching. (c) learning and adaptation on walking economy. The rationale for the cross-joint energy recycling approach is that supporting positive muscle work is more effective. By deliberately control the energy flow with a device, the user will perform less mechanical work and thus save energy. Two areas will be investigated: (a) energy recycling device development and testing. The first phase is to develop a soft wearable exoskeleton that stores and releases energy passively using a spring component located in a backpack. The second phase is to improve the performance with a semi-passive device that could operate in energy collection or release states in a controlled manner. (b) musculoskeletal simulation for device optimization. To determine optimal device parameters, OpenSim models will be developed to simulate the human/device interaction at the muscle level. Two PhD, two MASc, and ten undergraduate students will be trained in this research program. The research will most likely lead to a breakthrough in the area of energy self-sufficient exoskeleton, which will create a huge impact on lives for people with mobility disability and the elderly population. Furthermore, this research will generate new intellectual property and the commercialization will directly benefit the Canadian economy.