Passive leg exoskeletons are currently being investigated for offsetting the weight of tools and other loads from workers performing maintenance and assembly tasks. By providing power-assist to the knee joints with pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs), a wider range of stances could be used by maintenance workers without drawing significant power. A simplified kinematic model of the exoskeleton is developed, and the array of potential user stance configurations is then bounded. A static analysis is performed to define the torque required for actuation of the knee joint to support the tool loads carried by the exoskeleton. Finally, an exemplary transmission model is used to verify that it is feasible for a PAM to provide the range of motion and forces required for knee joint actuation. Upon demonstration of the viability of PAM actuation, development of an exoskeleton leg prototype is underway to provide validation of the proposed scheme. The knee actuation system will be retrofit to the FORTIS exoskeleton, and tests on its effectiveness will be conducted.
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ASME 2016 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition
November 11–17, 2016
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- ASME
ISBN:
978-0-7918-5053-4
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Powering a Lower Limb Exoskeleton Using Pneumatic Artificial Muscles Available to Purchase
Jonathan M. Chambers,
Jonathan M. Chambers
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
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Craig R. Carignan,
Craig R. Carignan
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
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Norman M. Wereley
Norman M. Wereley
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
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Jonathan M. Chambers
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Craig R. Carignan
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Norman M. Wereley
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Paper No:
IMECE2016-65298, V003T04A051; 10 pages
Published Online:
February 8, 2017
Citation
Chambers, JM, Carignan, CR, & Wereley, NM. "Powering a Lower Limb Exoskeleton Using Pneumatic Artificial Muscles." Proceedings of the ASME 2016 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. Volume 3: Biomedical and Biotechnology Engineering. Phoenix, Arizona, USA. November 11–17, 2016. V003T04A051. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/IMECE2016-65298
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