Development of wearable assistive technologies for human mobility

开发用于人类移动的可穿戴辅助技术

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-04295
• 负责人: Doumit, Marc
• 金额: $ 1.97万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=716957
• 关键词: Development; wearable; assistive; technologies; human

The relationship between human mobility and quality of life has been widely studied. The loss of mobility is not solely associated with physical disabilities but has a significant effect on all aspects of life, including mental and social aspects. Mobility issues are a substantial challenge for the aging population due to their weakening musculoskeletal systems and vulnerability to instability and falling. With reference to the 2016 census, there are 5,935,635 Canadian seniors (i.e. 65 years of age or older). This demographic is expected to further increase as life expectancy rises. Maintaining and enhancing mobility for seniors is of critical importance for society as a whole and must be addressed with viable solutions. Researchers have recently developed mobility assistive devices to enhance people's ability to walk. Among these innovations is the Walking Assist Exoskeleton (WAE), which is a wearable robotic device that interacts with the user's body to assist with physical activities. Primarily driven by electrical motors and rigid links, it has the ability to physically assist the user. However, this solution is not without limitations. Limited range of motion, discomfort, bulkiness, limited operation time and excessive cost are among its many drawbacks. Recent alternative solutions have been emerging, notably passively-driven WAE. While these mechanical systems display the potential of creating simple and cost-effective mechanical exoskeletons, they still face challenges related to range of motion, adaptability, as well as synchronization of gait energy-storing-and-releasing mechanisms. This research program proposes the development of self-sufficient sex-specific WAEs that employ conforming mechanical joints, quasi-passive actuators and gait sensors. These system characteristics yield to a compliant physical interface with the user that enhances their mobility without impeding natural joint kinematics. Without relying on an external power source, the system would harvest the kinetic and potential energy of human gait and return it as a mechanical contribution. System performance and adaptability are enhanced by actively controlling the passive behaviour of the actuators and gait energy-storing-and-releasing mechanisms throughout the gait cycle. For the proposed WAEs, compliant passive actuators are explored, namely, the Tubular Soft Composite and Twisted Coiled-Polymer. While both types of actuators would face challenges pertaining to the power source necessary for their functioning within a self-sufficient system such as a WAE, they are both developed with the ability to actively control the passive behaviour of the mechanism, providing the system with the power to adapt. Unlike current technologically advanced WAEs, the proposed exoskeleton will be affordable, comfortable and functional, allowing for the restoration or enhancement of an elderly user's mobility and reduction of metabolic cost during locomotion.

人类流动性与生活质量之间的关系已得到广泛研究。流动性的丧失不仅与身体残疾有关，但对生活的各个方面（包括心理和社会方面）都有重大影响。由于其肌肉骨骼系统减弱以及对不稳定和下降的脆弱性，流动性问题对于老龄化人口而言是一个重大挑战。关于2016年的人口普查，有5,935,635名加拿大老年人（即65岁或以上）。随着预期寿命的提高，预计该人群将进一步增加。维持和增强老年人的流动性对于整个社会至关重要，必须通过可行的解决方案来解决。 研究人员最近开发了移动性辅助设备，以增强人们走路的能力。这些创新包括步行辅助外骨骼（WAE），这是一种可穿戴的机器人装置，与用户的身体相互作用以协助体育锻炼。它主要由电动机和刚性链路驱动，它具有物理帮助用户的能力。但是，该解决方案并非没有限制。运动范围有限，不适，笨拙，运营时间有限和成本过高是其许多缺点之一。最近的替代解决方案正在出现，尤其是被动驱动的WAE。尽管这些机械系统显示出创建简单且具有成本效益的机械外骨骼的潜力，但它们仍然面临与运动范围，适应性以及步态能量存储和释放释放机制的同步有关的挑战。 该研究计划提出了采用符合机械关节，准据操作的执行器和步态传感器的自给自足的性别特异性WAE的开发。这些系统特性与用户的合规物理接口产生，从而在不阻碍天然关节运动学的情况下增强其移动性。如果不依赖外部电源，该系统将收集人步态的动力学和势能，并将其作为机械贡献。通过积极控制执行器的被动行为和步态能量存储和释放的机制，可以增强系统性能和适应性。 对于拟议的WAE，探索了符合符合性的被动执行器，即管状软复合材料和扭曲的盘绕聚合物。尽管两种类型的执行器都将面临与它们在自给自足系统（例如WAE）中功能所必需的电源有关的挑战，但它们都具有积极控制机制的被动行为的能力，从而为系统提供了适应能力。 与当前的技术先进的WAE不同，所提出的外骨骼将负担得起，舒适和功能，从而可以恢复或增强老年用户的移动性以及运动期间的代谢成本。