Concept proposal for a detachable exoskeleton-wheelchair to improve mobility and health

Development of Transfer-Assisting Robot System Using Posture-Supporting Wear and Support Robot

When assisting a care receiver to transfer from one plane to another, a caregiver needs to hold up and move him/her. As a caregiver has to support the weight of one person, transfer assistance imposes a heavy physical burden on the caregiver. Particularly, in Japan, with an increasing elderly population and a decreasing young population, there are a few caregivers to assist numerous care receivers to transfer. In this scenario, it is an extremely vital issue to develop methods to reduce the burden of the caregivers when assisting care receivers to transfer. In this study, by focusing on the clothes that care receivers wear, we developed a transfer-assisting robot system by combining a dedicated posture-supporting wear and a mobile robot based on a lift mechanism.

What Do Older Adults and Clinicians Think About Traditional Mobility Aids and Exoskeleton Technology?

Mobility impairments can prevent older adults from performing their daily activities, which highly impacts quality of life. Powered exoskeletons, which are wearable robotic devices, can assist older adults by providing additional support to compensate for age-related decline in muscle strength. To date, little is known about the opinions and needs of older adults regarding exoskeletons, as current research primarily focuses on the technical development of exoskeleton devices and on groups with more severe mobility impairments such as people with spinal cord injuries. Therefore, the aim of this article is to inform the design of exoskeletons for older adults from a person-centered perspective. Interviews were conducted with seven older adults and six clinicians. Results indicated that exoskeletons can be a valuable addition to existing mobility devices to support older adults during walking and other actions necessary to perform their daily activities. Although reactions towards the concept of exoskeleton technology were positive, older adults did not currently perceive the need for an exoskeleton device. Exoskeletons for older adults should be easy to use; preferably, users should be able to put the device on and take it off independently. Moreover, the appearance of the exoskeleton should be as inconspicuous as possible, as most older adults do not like to advertise their need for assistive devices. At this point in time, the willingness to use exoskeleton technology will depend on personal needs and preferences.

Controlling a Lower-Leg Exoskeleton Using Voltage and Current Variation Signals of a DC Motor Mounted at the Knee Joint

Powered exoskeleton technology helps turns dreams of recovering mobility after paralysis into reality. One of the most common problems encountered in the use of powered exoskeletons is the detection of the motion intentions of the user. Many approaches to conquering this problem have been developed using Electromyography (EMG) sensors, Electroencephalography (EEG) sensors, Center of Pressure (COP), and so forth. When a method, such as the surface EMG, is contaminated with noise during acquisition, it is important to process that raw EMG signal. Doing so usually takes time, and time delays in such a system can lead to a loss in synchronization between the wearer and the exoskeleton. Many algorithms have been developed for data acquisition and the filtering of raw EMG signals as well as accelerometer data. Our approach involves designing an almost sensor-less low limb exoskeleton that is powered by an electric Direct Current (DC) motor, and the same motor is used to detect motion via monitoring the voltage and the current variation. Experimental results are obtained for the actuating knee flexion-to-extension then extension-to-flexion of a sitting person using the National Instrument (NI) MyRIO as a data acquisition system with NI-LabView. The results support the hypothesis that the developed system can detect human motion and drive the motor in the necessary direction without the use of uncomfortable electrodes (sensors) and their connections. Additionally, the system supported the wearer to move his leg up (extension) without having too much effort to do so. In order to identify muscle activation with the change in the angle along the sagittal plane, an accelerometer has been attached to the system. The proposed approach could help open a new pathway along which researchers could develop low-cost and easy-to-wear powered exoskeletons which could emulate precisely the normal gait of a human.