Abstract
Soft exoskeletons are evolving rapidly on account of tribulations faced by people using rigid exoskeletons. This research includes the accomplishment of extensive comparative study, regarding the design of an active ankle exoskeleton using soft actuators for rehabilitation and metabolic cost reduction. Human biomechanics is studied thoroughly to imitate the musculoskeletal system, the functioning and morphology, of lower limb muscles during the human gait cycle. OpenSim has been used to simulate gait mechanics and draw statistics of various crucial features, including angle, contraction, muscle activation, and metabolic energy expenditure. The results lay the fundamental design constraints to design soft actuators. Identical constraints are employed to bespoke actuators and mimic biological soleus muscle to aid in plantar flexion of the ankle, laying the ground path for more complex systems. Currently, paramount actuators, the pneumatic air muscle (PAM), and the twisted string actuator (TSA) are designed, fabricated, and tested for their justified role. An exoskeleton is fabricated, and a control system is proposed for the same. Juxtaposing the two actuators and weighing the differences, it is found that the TSA is more applicable to rehabilitation purposes attributing to its excellent precision and effortless operation. PAM shows divergence to this behavior and can be utilized in the design of sporty exoskeletons because of the high power-to-weight ratio and quick actuation. The proposed design is economical and easily portable, realizing widespread utility and deployment.
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Sonar, K.R., Sai Sudeep Reddy, S., Schilberg, D., Arockia Doss, A.S. (2022). Design of Low-Cost Soft Ankle Exoskeleton Using Soft Actuators. In: Hussain, C.M., Di Sia, P. (eds) Handbook of Smart Materials, Technologies, and Devices. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58675-1_37-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58675-1_37-2
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Design of Low-Cost Soft Ankle Exoskeleton Using Soft Actuators- Published:
- 09 December 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58675-1_37-2
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Design of Low-Cost Soft Angle Exoskeleton Using Soft Actuators- Published:
- 11 September 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58675-1_37-1