Design of an anthropomorphic lower extremity exoskeleton with compatible joints

Lower extremity exoskeletons are intelligent wearable robots that integrate human intelligence with the strength of humanoid robots. Recently, lower extremity exoskeletons have been developed for rehabilitation and assistance of paralysis patients. This paper presents design of a novel anthropomorphic lower extremity exoskeleton with compatible hip joints and knee joints that help paralysis patients realize ground walking rehabilitation. On the basis of the calculation of hip joint and knee joint center locations with existing biomechanical methods, compatible hip joint and knee joint were designed to provide patients with comfortable rehabilitation. An investigation in the flexion and extension motions of a human knee joint is presented which compares performances of different exoskeleton knee joint designs against the case with no exoskeletons. The analytical results are in good agreement with the experimental data and can be used for engineering practice. These researches lead to an anthropomorphic lower extremity exoskeleton with compatible joints, and illustrate mechanical design of the exoskeleton system.