Background
The construction of lightweight robots poses one of the major challenges in the field of active robots since bearing the weight of an active robot significantly increases metabolic cost. However, few studies have achieved a substantial reduction in the robot weight. The primary reason is that the weight of the actuator, which comprises the main weight of the robot, is limited by the specific power, power requirements and assisting efficiency.
Methods
In this paper, we propose a new method that is utilizing the energy harvesting function of the Achilles tendon to improve the assistance efficiency of ankle robots to reduce the weight of the actuator and we design a novel ankle robot to test the validity of the method. The robot works with the ankle plantar flexor at 43%-60% of the gait cycle and has no other effects on the joints or the tendon of the lower limb. Healthy subjects were recruited to test the prototype in three conditions: free walking, power-on walking, and power-off walking. Data on the robot assisting power, metabolic cost and kinematics in different conditions were collected and analyzed.
Result
The results showed that the ankle robot can deliver forces at the controlled assistance timing. The average assisting power of 0.0650±0.0054 W/kg per leg resulted in an 8.7±8.1% and 19.0±6.4% net reduction in metabolic cost in power-on walking compared to free-walking and power-off walking, respectively.
Conclusion
Compared with the results of some of the best research, our initial result supports the validity of the method. This method can help to reduce the weight of active robots and the technical innovative method to determine the assistance timing more accurately and the novel design of the ankle robot can provide a reference for future research. To the best of our knowledge, this method is the first to use the human physiological structure to optimize the design of active robots.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
This preprint is available for download as a PDF.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
Loading...
Posted 02 Jun, 2020
On 26 Jan, 2021
Received 18 Sep, 2020
On 23 Aug, 2020
On 22 Jul, 2020
Invitations sent on 19 Jul, 2020
On 26 May, 2020
On 25 May, 2020
On 25 May, 2020
On 25 May, 2020
Posted 02 Jun, 2020
On 26 Jan, 2021
Received 18 Sep, 2020
On 23 Aug, 2020
On 22 Jul, 2020
Invitations sent on 19 Jul, 2020
On 26 May, 2020
On 25 May, 2020
On 25 May, 2020
On 25 May, 2020
Background
The construction of lightweight robots poses one of the major challenges in the field of active robots since bearing the weight of an active robot significantly increases metabolic cost. However, few studies have achieved a substantial reduction in the robot weight. The primary reason is that the weight of the actuator, which comprises the main weight of the robot, is limited by the specific power, power requirements and assisting efficiency.
Methods
In this paper, we propose a new method that is utilizing the energy harvesting function of the Achilles tendon to improve the assistance efficiency of ankle robots to reduce the weight of the actuator and we design a novel ankle robot to test the validity of the method. The robot works with the ankle plantar flexor at 43%-60% of the gait cycle and has no other effects on the joints or the tendon of the lower limb. Healthy subjects were recruited to test the prototype in three conditions: free walking, power-on walking, and power-off walking. Data on the robot assisting power, metabolic cost and kinematics in different conditions were collected and analyzed.
Result
The results showed that the ankle robot can deliver forces at the controlled assistance timing. The average assisting power of 0.0650±0.0054 W/kg per leg resulted in an 8.7±8.1% and 19.0±6.4% net reduction in metabolic cost in power-on walking compared to free-walking and power-off walking, respectively.
Conclusion
Compared with the results of some of the best research, our initial result supports the validity of the method. This method can help to reduce the weight of active robots and the technical innovative method to determine the assistance timing more accurately and the novel design of the ankle robot can provide a reference for future research. To the best of our knowledge, this method is the first to use the human physiological structure to optimize the design of active robots.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
This preprint is available for download as a PDF.
Loading...