Design and development of an active lower-limb exoskeleton for rehabilitation applications

设计和开发用于康复应用的主动下肢外骨骼

• 批准号: 488869-2015
• 负责人: Raahemifar, Kaamran
• 金额: $ 13.4万
• 依托单位: Ryerson University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=618239
• 关键词: Design; development; active; lower; limb

The existing lower limb exoskeletons in general, and the Bionik's system in particular, suffer from a number of drawbacks, including: 1) High cost, 2) Excessive weight, 3) High power consumption, 4) Bulky packaging and lack of ergonomics, 5) Limited maneuverability due to high volume of wires, and 6) Lack of user friendly Human-Machine Interfaces for data handling. The proposed system in this grant application has the following main characteristics and novelties. 1) It has reduced weight and cost and enhanced usability through utilization of lightweight materials and ergonomic design. 2) It uses wireless communication for linking the stationary and mobile components, to reduce restrictions to a greater extent. 3) Data is collected real-time through an array of sensors that are placed on the mobile component of the ExoLeg. 4) It has an efficient control system to process the acquired data and to receive commands from the user, through voice, joystick or even a touch pad. 5) The wearable component of the system uses rechargeable batteries that can be charged whenever the user is resting. 6) Customized functions allow communication between the user and robot. Venerable and marginalized group of the population, such as elderly, would benefit from this research. Currently, individuals with paraplegia are mostly confined to manual or electrical wheelchairs. By allowing individuals with paraplegia to stand and walk, ExoLeg would virtually eliminate most of the secondary health issues related to wheelchair use, such as pressure ulcers, respiratory problems, genitourinary problems, spasticity, pain, and autonomic dysreflexia. It reduces the negative psychological consequences of immobility and further improves the quality of life of the user and his/her family. Bionik is a Canadian company and plans to perform the manufacturing, assembly and quality testing of ExoLegs in Canada. This would translate to a large number of highly-skilled, well-paid jobs in both academia and commercial business enterprise. The technology serves as the stepping-stone for the development of an array of robotic assistive devices for a wide range of applications from medical to deep-sea exploration, and military use.

现有的下肢外骨骼，特别是Bionik的系统，具有许多缺点，包括：1）高成本，2）重量过大，3）高功耗，4）笨重的包装和缺乏人体工程学，5）由于大量的电线而导致的有限的可操作性，以及6）缺乏用于数据处理的用户友好的人机界面。本补助金申请中建议的系统具有以下主要特点和新颖性。1)它通过使用轻质材料和人体工程学设计降低了重量和成本，并增强了可用性。2)它使用无线通信来连接固定和移动的部件，以在更大程度上减少限制。3)数据通过放置在ExoLeg的移动的组件上的传感器阵列实时收集。4)它有一个有效的控制系统来处理采集的数据，并通过语音，操纵杆甚至触摸板接收来自用户的命令。5)该系统的可穿戴组件使用可充电电池，可在用户休息时充电。6)自定义功能允许用户和机器人之间的通信。老年人等受人尊敬的边缘群体将从这项研究中受益。目前，截瘫患者大多局限于手动或电动轮椅。通过允许截瘫患者站立和行走，ExoLeg几乎可以消除与轮椅使用相关的大部分继发性健康问题，如压疮、呼吸问题、泌尿生殖系统问题、痉挛、疼痛和自主神经反射障碍。它减少了不动的负面心理后果，并进一步提高了用户及其家人的生活质量。Bionik是一家加拿大公司，计划在加拿大进行ExoLegs的制造、组装和质量测试。这将转化为学术界和商业企业中大量高技能、高薪的工作。该技术是开发一系列机器人辅助设备的基础，这些设备适用于从医疗到深海勘探和军事用途的广泛应用。