Semi-passive wearable robotic devices for improving human walking economy

用于改善人类步行经济性的半被动可穿戴机器人设备

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-06370
• 负责人: Li, Qingguo
• 金额: $ 1.6万
• 依托单位: Queen's University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=678877
• 关键词: Semi; passive; wearable; robotic; devices

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. **

技术使辅助流动设备的重要性进步，这些设备改善了流动性障碍的加拿大人的生活质量。随着人口的年龄，更多的加拿大人将面临与出行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的下limb机器人设备，这些设备为行走困难的人提供了独立的希望。******改善步行经济性长期以来一直被认为是开发可穿戴的下limb机器人设备的一个重要目标。当前，只有一个电池供电的便携式设备克服了自己的重量并降低了用户的步行成本。但是，该设备很复杂，需要电源。 为了最大程度地减少对外部电池电量的依赖，拟议的研究旨在利用用户浪费的能量来改善步行经济。在未来五年中，短期目标将集中于在开发被动和半通过设备中使用能量收集/回收原理。该开发是更好地了解障碍并提供解决方案的第一步，以通过能源有效的可穿戴机器人设备来改善步行经济的长期目标。计划了两次研究流：（1）一种能量收集方法。 （2）一种跨关节能量回收方法。******能量收集方法植根于我先前对能量收集背包的发展。将进行三个工作领域：（a）收获建模和参数优化。 （b）设备致动时正时控制和电阻匹配。 （c）学习和适应步行经济。 ******交叉结合能量回收方法的基本原理是，支撑阳性肌肉工作更有效。通过用设备故意控制能量流，用户将执行较少的机械工作，从而节省能量。将研究两个领域：（a）能源回收设备的开发和测试。第一阶段是开发一种柔软的可穿戴外骨骼，该外骨骼可使用位于背包中的弹簧组件储存和释放能量。第二阶段是通过半循环设备来提高性能，该设备可以在能量收集或以受控方式释放状态下运行。 （b）用于设备优化的肌肉骨骼模拟。为了确定最佳设备参数，将开发OpenSIM模型以模拟肌肉水平的人/设备相互作用。******两位博士学位，两名MASC和十个本科生将在该研究计划中接受培训。 这项研究很可能会导致能源自给外骨骼的突破，这将对流动性残疾和老年人口的人们产生巨大影响。 此外，这项研究将产生新的知识产权，商业化将直接受益于加拿大经济。 **