Development of wearable assistive technologies for human mobility

人口流动性与生活质量之间的关系已经得到了广泛的研究。丧失行动能力不仅与身体残疾有关，而且对生活的各个方面，包括精神和社会方面都有重大影响。由于老年人的肌肉骨骼系统功能减弱，容易出现不稳定和跌倒，因此行动不便是老年人面临的一个重大挑战。根据2016年人口普查，加拿大有5，935，635名老年人（即65岁或以上）。随着预期寿命的增加，这一人口预计将进一步增加。保持和加强老年人的流动性对整个社会至关重要，必须采取可行的解决办法。 研究人员最近开发了移动辅助设备，以提高人们的行走能力。这些创新之一是步行辅助外骨骼（WAE），这是一种可穿戴机器人设备，与用户的身体互动，以协助身体活动。它主要由电动机和刚性连杆驱动，能够在身体上帮助用户。然而，该解决方案并非没有限制。有限的运动范围、不适、笨重、有限的手术时间和过高的成本是其许多缺点之一。最近出现了替代解决方案，特别是被动驱动的WAE。虽然这些机械系统显示出创建简单且具有成本效益的机械外骨骼的潜力，但它们仍然面临与运动范围、适应性以及步态能量存储和释放机构的同步相关的挑战。 该研究计划提出了自给自足的性别特异性WAE的发展，采用符合机械关节，准被动致动器和步态传感器。这些系统特性产生与用户的顺应性物理接口，其增强了用户的移动性而不妨碍自然关节运动学。在不依赖外部电源的情况下，该系统将收集人类步态的动能和势能，并将其作为机械贡献返回。通过在整个步态周期中主动控制致动器和步态能量存储和释放机构的被动行为，增强了系统性能和适应性。 对于拟议的WAE，顺应性被动致动器进行了探讨，即管状软复合材料和扭曲线圈聚合物。虽然这两种类型的致动器将面临与其在诸如WAE的自给自足系统内运行所需的电源有关的挑战，但它们都具有主动控制机构的被动行为的能力，为系统提供适应的动力。 与目前技术先进的WAE不同，所提出的外骨骼将是负担得起的、舒适的和功能性的，允许恢复或增强老年用户的移动性并减少运动期间的代谢成本。

The relationship between human mobility and quality of life has been widely studied. The loss of mobility is not solely associated with physical disabilities but has a significant effect on all aspects of life, including mental and social aspects. Mobility issues are a substantial challenge for the aging population due to their weakening musculoskeletal systems and vulnerability to instability and falling. With reference to the 2016 census, there are 5,935,635 Canadian seniors (i.e. 65 years of age or older). This demographic is expected to further increase as life expectancy rises. Maintaining and enhancing mobility for seniors is of critical importance for society as a whole and must be addressed with viable solutions.    Researchers have recently developed mobility assistive devices to enhance people's ability to walk. Among these innovations is the Walking Assist Exoskeleton (WAE), which is a wearable robotic device that interacts with the user's body to assist with physical activities. Primarily driven by electrical motors and rigid links, it has the ability to physically assist the user. However, this solution is not without limitations. Limited range of motion, discomfort, bulkiness, limited operation time and excessive cost are among its many drawbacks. Recent alternative solutions have been emerging, notably passively-driven WAE. While these mechanical systems display the potential of creating simple and cost-effective mechanical exoskeletons, they still face challenges related to range of motion, adaptability, as well as synchronization of gait energy-storing-and-releasing mechanisms.    This research program proposes the development of self-sufficient sex-specific WAEs that employ conforming mechanical joints, quasi-passive actuators and gait sensors. These system characteristics yield to a compliant physical interface with the user that enhances their mobility without impeding natural joint kinematics. Without relying on an external power source, the system would harvest the kinetic and potential energy of human gait and return it as a mechanical contribution. System performance and adaptability are enhanced by actively controlling the passive behaviour of the actuators and gait energy-storing-and-releasing mechanisms throughout the gait cycle.    For the proposed WAEs, compliant passive actuators are explored, namely, the Tubular Soft Composite and Twisted Coiled-Polymer. While both types of actuators would face challenges pertaining to the power source necessary for their functioning within a self-sufficient system such as a WAE, they are both developed with the ability to actively control the passive behaviour of the mechanism, providing the system with the power to adapt.    Unlike current technologically advanced WAEs, the proposed exoskeleton will be affordable, comfortable and functional, allowing for the restoration or enhancement of an elderly user's mobility and reduction of metabolic cost during locomotion.