Design and evaluation of a soft assistive lower limb exoskeleton

Di Natali, Christian; Poliero, Tommaso; Sposito, Matteo; Graf, Eveline; Bauer, Christoph; Pauli, Carole; Bottenberg, Eliza; De Eyto, Adam; O’Sullivan, Leonard; Hidalgo, Andrés F.; Scherly, Daniel; Stadler, Konrad S.; Caldwell, Darwin G.; Ortiz, Jesús

doi:10.1017/S0263574719000067

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3364

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Design and evaluation of a soft assistive lower limb exoskeleton
Authors:	Di Natali, Christian Poliero, Tommaso Sposito, Matteo Graf, Eveline Bauer, Christoph Pauli, Carole Bottenberg, Eliza De Eyto, Adam O’Sullivan, Leonard Hidalgo, Andrés F. Scherly, Daniel Stadler, Konrad S. Caldwell, Darwin G. Ortiz, Jesús
DOI:	10.1017/S0263574719000067 10.21256/zhaw-3364
Published in:	Robotica
Volume(Issue):	37
Issue:	12
Page(s):	2014
Pages to:	2034
Issue Date:	26-Feb-2019
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	0263-5747 1469-8668
Language:	English
Subject (DDC):	620: Engineering
Abstract:	Wearable devices are fast evolving to address mobility and autonomy needs of elderly people who would benefit from physical assistance. Recent developments in soft robotics provide important opportunities to develop soft exoskeletons (also called exosuits) to enable both physical assistance and improved usability and acceptance for users. The XoSoft EU project has developed a modular soft lower limb exoskeleton to assist people with low mobility impairments. In this paper, we present the design of a soft modular lower limb exoskeleton to improve person’s mobility, contributing to independence and enhancing quality of life. The novelty of this work is the integration of quasi-passive elements in a soft exoskeleton. The exoskeleton provides mechanical assistance for subjects with low mobility impairments reducing energy requirements between 10% and 20%. Investigation of different control strategies based on gait segmentation and actuation elements is presented. A first hip–knee unilateral prototype is described, developed, and its performance assessed on a post-stroke patient for straight walking. The study presents an analysis of the human–exoskeleton energy patterns by way of the task-based biological power generation. The resultant assistance, in terms of power, was 10.9% ± 2.2% for hip actuation and 9.3% ± 3.5% for knee actuation. The control strategy improved the gait and postural patterns by increasing joint angles and foot clearance at specific phases of the walking cycle.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/15681
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	CC BY-NC-SA 4.0: Attribution - Non commercial - Share alike 4.0 International
Departement:	School of Health Sciences School of Engineering
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Mechatronic Systems (IMS) Institute of Physiotherapy (IPT)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Gesundheit

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Di Natali, C., Poliero, T., Sposito, M., Graf, E., Bauer, C., Pauli, C., Bottenberg, E., De Eyto, A., O’Sullivan, L., Hidalgo, A. F., Scherly, D., Stadler, K. S., Caldwell, D. G., & Ortiz, J. (2019). Design and evaluation of a soft assistive lower limb exoskeleton. Robotica, 37(12), 2014–2034. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0263574719000067

Di Natali, C. et al. (2019) ‘Design and evaluation of a soft assistive lower limb exoskeleton’, Robotica, 37(12), pp. 2014–2034. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0263574719000067.

C. Di Natali et al., “Design and evaluation of a soft assistive lower limb exoskeleton,” Robotica, vol. 37, no. 12, pp. 2014–2034, Feb. 2019, doi: 10.1017/S0263574719000067.

DI NATALI, Christian, Tommaso POLIERO, Matteo SPOSITO, Eveline GRAF, Christoph BAUER, Carole PAULI, Eliza BOTTENBERG, Adam DE EYTO, Leonard O’SULLIVAN, Andrés F. HIDALGO, Daniel SCHERLY, Konrad S. STADLER, Darwin G. CALDWELL und Jesús ORTIZ, 2019. Design and evaluation of a soft assistive lower limb exoskeleton. Robotica. 26 Februar 2019. Bd. 37, Nr. 12, S. 2014–2034. DOI 10.1017/S0263574719000067

Di Natali, Christian, Tommaso Poliero, Matteo Sposito, Eveline Graf, Christoph Bauer, Carole Pauli, Eliza Bottenberg, et al. 2019. “Design and Evaluation of a Soft Assistive Lower Limb Exoskeleton.” Robotica 37 (12): 2014–34. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0263574719000067.

Di Natali, Christian, et al. “Design and Evaluation of a Soft Assistive Lower Limb Exoskeleton.” Robotica, vol. 37, no. 12, Feb. 2019, pp. 2014–34, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0263574719000067.