Title :
Dimensional synthesis of a lightweight shoulder exoskeleton
Author :
Hsiang-Chien Hsieh ; Li Chien ; Chao-Chieh Lan
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Mech. Eng., Nat. Cheng Kung Univ., Tainan, Taiwan
Abstract :
Powered exoskeletons can provide motion enhancement for both healthy and physically challenged people. Compared with lower limb exoskeletons, upper limb exoskeletons are required to have multiple degrees-of-freedom and can still produce sufficient augmentation force. Designs using serial mechanisms usually result in complicated and bulky exoskeletons that prevent themselves from being wearable. This paper presents a new exoskeleton aimed to achieve compactness and wearability. We consider a shoulder exoskeleton that consists of two spherical mechanisms with two slider crank mechanisms. The actuators can be made stationary and attached side-by-side, close to a human body. Thus better inertia properties can be obtained while maintaining lightweight. The dimensions of the exoskeleton are synthesized to achieve maximum output force. Through illustrations of a prototype, the exoskeleton is shown to be wearable and can provide adequate motion enhancement of a human´s upper limb.
Keywords :
actuators; medical control systems; motion control; actuators; augmentation force; compactness; degrees-of-freedom; dimensional synthesis; healthy challenged people; human upper limb; inertia properties; lightweight shoulder exoskeleton; lower limb exoskeletons; maximum output force; motion enhancement; physically challenged people; powered exoskeletons; serial mechanisms; slider crank mechanisms; spherical mechanisms; upper limb exoskeletons; wearability; Actuators; Exoskeletons; Force; Kinematics; Optimization; Springs; Torque; Upper limb exoskeletons; gravity-balancing; spherical mechanisms; wearable devices;
Conference_Titel :
Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), 2015 IEEE International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Busan
DOI :
10.1109/AIM.2015.7222614