RESEARCH
Assistive and Rehabilitation
Robotics Lab
RESEARCH
Assistive and Rehabilitation
Robotics Lab
Passive Wearable Robots
We are developing wearable devices that provide support based on passive elements (e.g., springs, rubber bands) to provide lightweight, energy-efficient, and controllable means of assistive force to the human body. We are working on both exoskeleton (based on rigid frames) and exosuit type devices. These devices are designed to augment the wearer's physical capabilities (e.g., reduced muscle fatigue, the reduced energy cost of bipedal locomotion) while using low to no external energy.
The passive hip exosuit applies a flexion moment to the hip according to the hip extension within a specific range of motion to assist running. The suit is designed so that stretching the bands reduces negative work that was original of human burden. The stored energy is later used to help with the re-acceleration of the thigh. Test on human subjects showed that wearing the device can reduce the metabolic cost of running by more than 4.7%, compared to running without it. The device has a low weight of about 0.6 kg and a small extrusion of 2.5cm from the body in standing posture. The proposed device can potentially be used every day owing to its low-profile design and low weight, thereby overcoming the limitations of most existing portable devices.
There are various working situations in the industrial field, and different torque profiles are needed on the worker's shoulder for each type of motion. Therefore, we are developing a versatile passive exoskeleton using a variable gravity compensation mechanism to provide controllable assistive force to the human body. Compared to a traditional passive exoskeleton, these systems can help the wearer more efficiently by adjusting the optimal assistive power to fit the working condition (e.g., the weight of payload) controlled by a wireless glove. Furthermore, the kinematic configuration of the exoskeleton's harness is optimally designed considering human motion trajectories that occur in the industrial fields.