Implementation of precedence walking assistance mechanism in exoskeleton with only vertical ground reaction forces

Author

Cha, D. ; Oh, Sung-Min ; Kim, Kwang In ; Kim, Kyu-Sang ; Kim, Sungho

Author_Institution

Dept. of Mech. Eng., Korea Adv. Inst. of Sci. & Technol. (KAIST), Daejeon, South Korea

Volume

50

Issue

3

fYear

2014

fDate

January 30 2014

Firstpage

146

Lastpage

148

Abstract

A more rapid detection method for step initiation is an important challenge for muscle force reduction in lower limb exoskeletons. Many studies have attempted to detect step initiation faster via either the precedence walking assistance mechanism or the shadow walking assistance mechanism. Although the precedence walking assistance mechanism is the fastest for the detection of step initiation, this mechanism has limitations while using biosignals. As a result, many studies have attempted to detect step initiation with the shadow walking assistance mechanism as soon as possible. A precedence walking assistance mechanism has been implemented for step initiation in the Unmanned Technology Research Centre Exoskeleton (UTRCEXO) based on gait analysis without using any biosignals. Success was achieved in reducing the muscle force of the operator.

Keywords

biomedical equipment; gait analysis; muscle; Unmanned Technology Research Centre Exoskeleton; gait analysis; lower limb exoskeletons; muscle force reduction; precedence walking assistance mechanism; rapid detection method; shadow walking assistance mechanism; step initiation detection; vertical ground reaction forces;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electronics Letters

Publisher

iet

ISSN

0013-5194

Type

jour

DOI

10.1049/el.2013.3830

Filename

6731729