Abstract
The lower limb exoskeleton investigated in this work actively supports the knee and hip and is intended to provide full motion support during gait. Parallel elastic actuators are integrated into the hip joints to improve the energy efficiency in gait. The prototype was tested in sit-to-stand and gait trials, in which the actuators were cascade-controlled with position trajectories. The compliant actuation of the hip in gait experiments proved to be more efficient; the peak torque was reduced by up to 31% and the RMS power was reduced by up to 36%.
Highlights
Motion support for the lower limbs of patients suffering from limited motor function is an active field of research
We have shown in experiments on a test bench with a pendulum and a gait trajectory of the hip that the root mean square (RMS) power and the peak torque in this configuration could be reduced by 30% and 26%, respectively [15]
This study demonstrated that partial support for sit-to-stand can be provided by our exoskeleton prototype
Summary
Motion support for the lower limbs of patients suffering from limited motor function is an active field of research. The development of exoskeletons has been greatly advanced in recent years. Various lower limb exoskeletons and, subsequently, compliant actuators are presented to provide an overview of the state of the art. The exoskeleton prototype introduced in this paper is intended to be used for paraplegic patients in the long term.
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