Song Gijoon, Moon Junyoung, Kim Jehyeok, Lee Giuk
School of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
Biomimetics (Basel). 2024 Mar 13;9(3):173. doi: 10.3390/biomimetics9030173.
The back support exoskeletons have garnered significant attention to alleviate musculoskeletal injuries, prevalent in industrial settings. In this paper, we propose AeBS, a quasi-passive back-support exoskeleton developed to provide variable assistive torque across the entire range of hip joint motion, for tasks with frequent load changes. AeBS can adjust the assistive torque levels while minimizing energy for the torque variation without constraining the range of motion of the hip joint. To match the requisite assistance levels for back support, a compact variable gravity compensation module with reinforced elastic elements is applied to AeBS. Additionally, we devised a bio-inspired hip joint mechanism that mimics the configuration of the human hip axis to ensure the free body motion of the wearer, significantly affecting assistive torque transmission and wearing comfort. Benchtop testing showed that AeBS has a variable assistive torque range of 5.81 Nm (ranging from 1.23 to 7.04 Nm) across a targeted hip flexion range of 135°. Furthermore, a questionnaire survey revealed that the bio-inspired hip joint mechanism effectively facilitates the transmission of the intended assistive torque while enhancing wearer comfort.
背部支撑外骨骼已引起广泛关注，以减轻工业环境中普遍存在的肌肉骨骼损伤。在本文中，我们提出了AeBS，这是一种准被动式背部支撑外骨骼，旨在为频繁负载变化的任务在髋关节运动的整个范围内提供可变辅助扭矩。AeBS可以在不限制髋关节运动范围的情况下，调整辅助扭矩水平，同时将扭矩变化所需的能量降至最低。为了匹配背部支撑所需的辅助水平，AeBS采用了带有增强弹性元件的紧凑型可变重力补偿模块。此外，我们设计了一种受生物启发的髋关节机构，模仿人体髋关节轴的结构，以确保穿戴者的自由身体运动，这对辅助扭矩传递和穿戴舒适度有显著影响。台式测试表明，AeBS在135°的目标髋关节屈曲范围内，可变辅助扭矩范围为5.81 Nm（范围为1.23至7.04 Nm）。此外，问卷调查显示，受生物启发的髋关节机构在提高穿戴者舒适度的同时，有效地促进了预期辅助扭矩的传递。
