Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2021 Nov;2021:4537-4541. doi: 10.1109/EMBC46164.2021.9630445.
Trunk exoskeletons are wearable devices that support wearers during physically demanding tasks by reducing biomechanical loads and increasing stability. In this paper, we present a prototype sensorized passive trunk exoskeleton, which includes five motion processing units (3-axis accelerometers and gyroscopes with onboard digital processing), four one-axis flex sensors along the exoskeletal spinal column, and two one-axis force sensors for measuring the interaction force between the wearer and exoskeleton. A pilot evaluation of the exoskeleton was conducted with two wearers, who performed multiple everyday tasks (sitting on a chair and standing up, walking in a straight line, picking up a box with a straight back, picking up a box with a bent back, bending forward while standing, bending laterally while standing) while wearing the exoskeleton. Illustrative examples of the results are presented as graphs. Finally, potential applications of the sensorized exoskeleton as the basis for a semi-active exoskeleton design or for audio/haptic feedback to guide the wearer are discussed.
躯干外骨骼是一种可穿戴设备，通过减少生物力学负荷和提高稳定性来支持穿戴者完成体力要求高的任务。在本文中，我们提出了一种原型传感器式无源躯干外骨骼，它包括五个运动处理单元（带有板载数字处理的三轴加速度计和陀螺仪）、沿着外骨骼脊柱的四个单轴柔性传感器和两个用于测量穿戴者与外骨骼之间相互作用力的单轴力传感器。对两名穿戴者进行了外骨骼的初步评估，他们在穿戴外骨骼的情况下执行了多项日常任务（坐在椅子上和站起来、直线行走、用直背拿起盒子、用弯背拿起盒子、站立时向前弯曲、站立时侧向弯曲）。结果的说明性示例以图形形式呈现。最后，讨论了传感器式外骨骼作为半主动外骨骼设计的基础或用于音频/触觉反馈以引导穿戴者的潜在应用。
