Exoskeletons for human performance augmentation are controlled and wearable devices and machines that can increase the speed, strength, and endurance of the operator. So far most researchers focus on the upper limb exoskeletons. To help those who need to travel long distances by feet with heavy loads such as infantry soldiers, this paper presents a control principle of a lower extremity exoskeleton. An exoskeleton foot is designed to measure the human and the exoskeleton’s ZMP. Using the measured human ZMP as the reference, the exoskeleton’s ZMP is modified by torso control and ground reaction force control so that theexoskeleton can walk stably. Test prototypes, initial experiment results, and preliminary dynamic analysis are also presented.

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Different types of neurological injuries affect the patient walking ability. Rehabilitation Engineering provides equipment and devices to aid these patients to recover the movements or to improve their quality of life. The aim of the present study was to develop an equipment to assist the lower limb movements when a physical deficiency is installed. It was designed an exoskeleton, which consists of a hip orthosis equipped with pneumatic artificial muscles. The orthosis was molded for a patient who had motor deficit resultant of Poliomielitis. The kinematics and dynamics of the hip and the lower limb was studied to determine the force produced by the artificial muscles in the initial and final positions of the patient’s lower limb during the gait. A control system for the pneumatic muscle using the remaining myoelectrics signal of the patient’s muscle was developed. This signal was obtained by two electrodes and modulated to make the pneumatic muscle control. The exoskeleton reported here has proved to be able of assisting the hip flexion movement

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The exoskeleton is an external structural mechanism with joints and links corresponding to those of the human body. Worn by the human, the exoskeleton transmits torques from proximally located actuators through rigid exoskeletal links to the human joints. This paper presents the development of an anthropometric seven degree-of-freedom powered exoskeleton for the upper limb. The design was based on a database defining the kinematics and dynamics of the upper limb during daily living activities, as well as joint physiological and upper limb anatomical considerations, workspace analyses, and joint ranges of motion. Proximal placement of motors and distal placement of pulley reductions were incorporated into the design of a cable-driven wearable robotic arm. This design led to low inertias, high-stiffness links, and back-drivable transmissions with zero backlash. Potential applications of theexoskeleton as a wearable robot include use as: (1) a therapeutic and diagnostics device for physiotherapy, (2) an assistive (orthotic) device for human power amplifications, (3) a haptic device in virtual reality simulation, and (4) a master device for teleoperation.

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