Many existing exoskeletons have followed a similar design concept that a rigid kinematic chain is actuated to mobilize a human wearer in spite of the intended applications. For performance-augmenting applications where an exoskeleton is usually paired with a specific wearer, the human–machine kinematic compatibility might be well maintained. However, in a clinical setting for rehabilitation where one exoskeleton is often shared by a group of patients, it will be difficult for the therapists to guarantee the on-site adjustments would accurately fit the exoskeleton to each individual patient with his/her unique anatomy. This paper proposes a continuum shoulder exoskeleton design to realize anatomy adaptive assistances (AAAs) for hemiparetic patients in a purely assistive mode where patient's limb motions are passive. The shoulder exoskeleton conforms to distinct human anatomies adaptively due to its intrinsic flexibility but still manages to deliver motion assistances in a consistent way. The design concept and the system descriptions are elaborated, including kinematics, statics, system construction, actuation, experimental validation, backbone shape identification, motion compensation, manikin trials, etc. The results suggest that it is possible to design a continuum exoskeleton to assist different patients with their limb movements, while no mechanical adjustments on the exoskeleton shall be performed.
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November 2014
Research-Article
A Pilot Study of a Continuum Shoulder Exoskeleton for Anatomy Adaptive Assistances
Kai Xu,
Kai Xu
1
RII Lab (Laboratory of Robotics
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai 200240,
e-mail: k.xu@sjtu.edu.cn
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
,800 Dongchuan Road
,Shanghai 200240,
China
e-mail: k.xu@sjtu.edu.cn
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Jiangran Zhao,
Jiangran Zhao
RII Lab (Laboratory of Robotics
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai 200240,
e-mail: zjr318@sjtu.edu.cn
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
,800 Dongchuan Road
,Shanghai 200240,
China
e-mail: zjr318@sjtu.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Dong Qiu,
Dong Qiu
RII Lab (Laboratory of Robotics
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai 200240,
e-mail: d.qiu@sjtu.edu.cn
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
,800 Dongchuan Road
,Shanghai 200240,
China
e-mail: d.qiu@sjtu.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
You Wang
You Wang
RII Lab (Laboratory of Robotics
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University,
800 Dongchuan Road,
e-mail: youwang@sjtu.edu.cn
Innovation and Intervention)
,UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University,
800 Dongchuan Road,
Shanghai 200240
, China
e-mail: youwang@sjtu.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Kai Xu
RII Lab (Laboratory of Robotics
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai 200240,
e-mail: k.xu@sjtu.edu.cn
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
,800 Dongchuan Road
,Shanghai 200240,
China
e-mail: k.xu@sjtu.edu.cn
Jiangran Zhao
RII Lab (Laboratory of Robotics
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai 200240,
e-mail: zjr318@sjtu.edu.cn
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
,800 Dongchuan Road
,Shanghai 200240,
China
e-mail: zjr318@sjtu.edu.cn
Dong Qiu
RII Lab (Laboratory of Robotics
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai 200240,
e-mail: d.qiu@sjtu.edu.cn
Innovation and Intervention),
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
,800 Dongchuan Road
,Shanghai 200240,
China
e-mail: d.qiu@sjtu.edu.cn
You Wang
RII Lab (Laboratory of Robotics
UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University,
800 Dongchuan Road,
e-mail: youwang@sjtu.edu.cn
Innovation and Intervention)
,UM-SJTU Joint Institute,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University,
800 Dongchuan Road,
Shanghai 200240
, China
e-mail: youwang@sjtu.edu.cn
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Mechanisms and Robotics Committee of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF MECHANISMS AND ROBOTICS. Manuscript received January 14, 2014; final manuscript received May 19, 2014; published online June 19, 2014. Assoc. Editor: Philippe Wenger.
J. Mechanisms Robotics. Nov 2014, 6(4): 041011 (10 pages)
Published Online: June 19, 2014
Article history
Received:
January 14, 2014
Revision Received:
May 19, 2014
Citation
Xu, K., Zhao, J., Qiu, D., and Wang, Y. (June 19, 2014). "A Pilot Study of a Continuum Shoulder Exoskeleton for Anatomy Adaptive Assistances." ASME. J. Mechanisms Robotics. November 2014; 6(4): 041011. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4027760
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