Wearable Robots

A wearable robot is a mechatronic system that is designed around
the shape and function of the human body, with segments and joints
corresponding to those of the person it is externally coupled with.
Teleoperation and power amplification were the first applications,
but after recent technological advances the range of application
fields has widened. Increasing recognition from the scientific
community means that this technology is now employed in
telemanipulation, man-amplification, neuromotor control research
and rehabilitation, and to assist with impaired human motor
control.

Logical in structure and original in its global orientation,
this volume gives a full overview of wearable robotics, providing
the reader with a complete understanding of the key applications
and technologies suitable for its development. The main topics are
demonstrated through two detailed case studies; one on a lower limb
active orthosis for a human leg, and one on a wearable robot that
suppresses upper limb tremor. These examples highlight the
difficulties and potentialities in this area of technology,
illustrating how design decisions should be made based on
these.

As well as discussing the cognitive interaction between human
and robot, this comprehensive text also covers:

• the mechanics of the wearable robot and it's
  biomechanical interaction with the user, including state-of-the-art
  technologies that enable sensory and motor interaction between
  human (biological) and wearable artificial (mechatronic)
  systems;

• the basis for bioinspiration and biomimetism, general rules for
  the development of biologically-inspired designs, and how these
  could serve recursively as biological models to explain biological
  systems;

• the study on the development of networks for wearable
  robotics.

Wearable Robotics: Biomechatronic Exoskeletons will
appeal to lecturers, senior undergraduate students, postgraduates
and other researchers of medical, electrical and bio engineering
who are interested in the area of assistive robotics. Active system
developers in this sector of the engineering industry will also
find it an informative and welcome resource.

Auteur
Jose L. Pons, is currently a Scientist for the Bioengineering Group of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research. He has previously written journal articles including for Humanoids and personal robots: Design and experiments, for the Journal of Robotic Systems, (Volume 18, Issue 12, Pages 673-690,4/12/2001). Pons has also written Emerging Actuator Technologies: A Micromechatronic Approach (0470091975) a book on the design and control of novel actuators for applications in micro nanosystems.

Résumé
A wearable robot is a mechatronic system that is designed around the shape and function of the human body, with segments and joints corresponding to those of the person it is externally coupled with. Teleoperation and power amplification were the first applications, but after recent technological advances the range of application fields has widened. Increasing recognition from the scientific community means that this technology is now employed in telemanipulation, man-amplification, neuromotor control research and rehabilitation, and to assist with impaired human motor control. Logical in structure and original in its global orientation, this volume gives a full overview of wearable robotics, providing the reader with a complete understanding of the key applications and technologies suitable for its development. The main topics are demonstrated through two detailed case studies; one on a lower limb active orthosis for a human leg, and one on a wearable robot that suppresses upper limb tremor. These examples highlight the difficulties and potentialities in this area of technology, illustrating how design decisions should be made based on these.

As well as discussing the cognitive interaction between human and robot, this comprehensive text also covers:

• the mechanics of the wearable robot and it's biomechanical interaction with the user, including state-of-the-art technologies that enable sensory and motor interaction between human (biological) and wearable artificial (mechatronic) systems;
• the basis for bioinspiration and biomimetism, general rules for the development of biologically-inspired designs, and how these could serve recursively as biological models to explain biological systems;
• the study on the development of networks for wearable robotics.
  Wearable Robotics: Biomechatronic Exoskeletons will appeal to lecturers, senior undergraduate students, postgraduates and other researchers of medical, electrical and bio engineering who are interested in the area of assistive robotics. Active system developers in this sector of the engineering industry will also find it an informative and welcome resource.

Contenu

Foreword xv

Preface xvii

List of Contributors xix

1 Introduction to wearable robotics 1
J. L. Pons, R. Ceres and L. Calderón

1.1 Wearable robots and exoskeletons 1

1.1.1 Dual humanrobot interaction in wearable robotics 3

1.1.2 A historical note 4

1.1.3 Exoskeletons: an instance of wearable robots 5

1.2 The role of bioinspiration and biomechatronics in wearable robots 6

1.2.1 Bioinspiration in the design of biomechatronic wearable robots 8

1.2.2 Biomechatronic systems in close interaction with biological systems 9

1.2.3 Biologically inspired design and optimization procedures 9

1.3 Technologies involved in robotic exoskeletons 9

1.4 A classification of wearable exoskeletons: application domains 10

1.5 Scope of the book 12

References 15

2 Basis for bioinspiration and biomimetism in wearable robots 17
A. Forner-Cordero, J. L. Pons and M. Wisse

2.1 Introduction 17

2.2 General principles in biological design 18

2.2.1 Optimization of objective functions: energy consumption 19

2.2.2 Multifunctionality and adaptability 21

2.2.3 Evolution 22

2.3 Development of biologically inspired designs 23

2.3.1 Biological models 24

2.3.2 Neuromotor control structures and mechanisms as models 24

2.3.3 Muscular physiology as a model 27

2.3.4 Sensorimotor mechanisms as a model 29

2.3.5 Biomechanics of human limbs as a model 31

2.3.6 Recursive interaction: engineering models explain biological systems 31

2.4 Levels of biological inspiration in engineering design 31

2.4.1 Biomimetism: replication of observable behaviour and structures 32

2.4.2 Bioimitation: replication of dynamics and control structures 32

2.5 Case Study: limit-cycle biped walking robots to imitate human gait and to inspire the design of wearable exoskeletons 33
M. Wisse

2.5.1 Introduction 33

2.5.2 Why is human walking efficient and stable? 33

2.5.3 Robot solutions for efficiency and stability 34

2.5.4 Conclusion 36

Acknowledgements 36

2.6 Case Study: MANUS-HAND, mimicking neuromotor control of grasping 36
J. L. Pons, R. Ceres and L. Calderón

2.6.1 Introduction 37

2.6.2 Design of the prosthesis 37

2.6.3 MANUS-HAND control architecture 39

2.7 Case Study: internal models, CPGs and reflexes to control bipedal walking robots and exoskeletons: the ESBiRRo project 40
A. Forner-Cordero

2.7.1 Introduction 40

2.7.2 Motivation for the design of LC bipeds and current limitations 41

2.7.3 Biomimetic control for an LC biped walking robot 41

2.7.4 Conclusions and future developments 43

References 43

3 Kinematics and dynamics of wearable robots 47
A. Forner-Cordero, J. L. Pons, E. A. Turowska and A. Schiele

3.1 Introduction 47

3.2 Robot mechanics: motion equations 48

3.2.1 Kinematic analysis 48

3.2.2 Dynamic analysis 53

3.3 Human biomechanics 57

3.3.1 Medical description of human movements 57

3.3.2 …