Design and control of a lower-limb exoskeleton emulator for accelerated development of gait exoskeletons

Abstract

Robotic exoskeletons for gait assistance carry the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life for individuals with hemiparesis resulting from a stroke. This thesis presents the design and implementation of a modular lower-limb exoskeleton emulator: a new research platform intended for accelerated research into and development of lower-limb exoskeletons. The device features five lightweight, modular braces for human interface with ten total lower-limb degrees of freedom. Braces are actuated by four off-board motors via Bowden-cable transmission. A closed-loop controller utilizing high-frequency real-time measurements provides accurate and responsive torque application to the wearer. A versatile control software model featuring real-time gait event detection has been developed and verified with preliminary experimentation conducted with the emulator. Future investigations with the device will inform the design of a novel assistive, multi-joint body-powered leg exoskeleton for hemiparetic gait assistance.