Wearing-Type Motion Assistance Device and Program for Control

• US 20080161937A1
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cyberdyne Inc.
• Original Assignee: University of Tsukuba
• Inventors: Sankai, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,857,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0255 Both knee and hip of a patient, e.g. in supine or sitting position, the feet being moved in a plane substantially parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane A61H1/0214 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0176 By stopping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/018 By limiting the applied torque or force
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1614 Shoulder, e.g. for neck stretching
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1628 Pelvis
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1642 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1676 Pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5069 Angle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/60 Muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user, e.g. Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/605 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/00 Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04; orthopaedic devices for correcting deformities of, or supporting, limbs A61F5/0102; exercising apparatus for the feet or toes A63B23/10; stairways or ramps E04F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/008 Using suspension devices for supporting the body in an upright walking or standing position, e.g. harnesses drawing-out devices A61H1/0218
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/04 for lower limbs training appliances for special sports A63B69/00; for the purpose of producing mechanical power F03G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0006 Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure

Abstract

A motion assistance device has a biological signal detection means for detecting a biological signal from the wearer of the device; a motion assistance device installation member having a drive source for applying torque acting to the wearer by use of each joint of the wearer as a rotating shaft; a control means for controlling the drive source to generate torque corresponding to the biological signal detected by the biological signal detection mean; a drive torque estimation means for estimating the drive torque generated by the drive source; a joint angle detection means for detecting angular displacement of a joint; and a parameter identification means for substituting the drive torque estimated by the drive torque estimation means and the angular displacement detected by the joint angle detection means into an equation of motion to specify the wearer-specific dynamics parameter, the equation relating to the entire system and including wearer-specific dynamics parameter. The control means controls the drive source according to a predetermined control method, based on the equation of motion into which the dynamics parameter identified by the parameter identification means is substituted.

Claims

1. A wearable action-assist device comprising:

a biosignal detection unit detecting a biosignal from a wearer;

an action-assist wearing tool having a drive source supplying a torque acting on the wearer around each joint of the wearer as an axis of rotation; and

a control unit controlling the drive source to generate the torque according to the biosignal detected by the biosignal detection unit,

characterized in further comprising;

a drive torque estimation unit estimating a drive torque generated by the drive source;

a joint angle detecting unit detecting an angular displacement of the joint; and

a parameter identification unit identifying kinetics parameters concerned by substituting the estimated drive torque estimated by the drive torque estimation unit and the angular displacement detected by the joint angle detecting unit into an equation of motion of an entire system including kinetics parameters intrinsic to the wearer,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive source according to a predetermined control method based on the equation of motion into which the biosignal detected by the biosignal detection unit and the kinetics parameters identified by the parameter identification unit are substituted.

4. The wearable action-assist device according to claim 1, wherein the biosignal detection unit is used in a state where the biosignal detection unit is stuck on a skin of the wearer, and the biosignal detection unit detecting a myoelectricity of the wearer as the biosignal.

5. The wearable action-assist device according to claim 1, wherein the action-assist wearing tool includes a waist belt, a right leg auxiliary part extending downward from a right side part of the waist belt, and a left leg auxiliary part extending downward from a left side part of the waist belt, and

each of the right leg auxiliary part and the left leg auxiliary part comprising:

a first frame extending downward to support the waist belt;

a second frame extending downward from the first frame;

a third frame extending downward from the second frame;

a fourth frame provided at a lower end of the third frame so that a sole of a foot of the wearer is placed on the fourth frame;

a first joint provided between a lower end of the first frame and an upper end of the second frame, and

a second joint provided between a lower end of the second frame and an upper end of the third frame.

6. The wearable action-assist device according to claim 5, wherein the first joint is disposed in a height position which is equivalent to that of a hip joint of the wearer, the first joint comprises a first drive source transmitting a drive force to rotate the second frame, and a first joint angle detecting unit detecting an angular displacement of the hip joint of the wearer, and

wherein the second joint is disposed in a height position which is equivalent to that of a knee joint of the wearer, and the second joint comprises a second drive source transmitting a drive force to rotate the third frame, and a second joint angle detecting unit detecting an angular displacement of the knee joint of the wearer.

7. The wearable action-assist device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive source according to a control method using the kinetics parameters identified by the parameter identification unit and performing at least one of gravity compensation and inertia compensation.

8. The wearable action-assist device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive source according to an impedance control method using the kinetics parameters identified by the parameter identification unit.

9. A control program which, when executed by a computer acting as the control unit, causes the computer to perform the control method as claimed in claim 7.

10. A control program which, when executed by a computer acting as the control unit, causes the computer to perform the control method as claimed in claim 8.

2. A wearable action-assist device comprising:

a biosignal detection unit detecting a biosignal from a wearer;

an action-assist wearing tool having a drive source supplying a torque acting on the wearer around each joint of the wearer as an axis of rotation; and

a control unit controlling the drive source to generate the torque according to the biosignal detected by the biosignal detection unit,

characterized in further comprising;

a drive torque estimation unit estimating a drive torque generated by the drive source;

a joint angle detecting unit detecting an angular displacement of the joint;

a joint torque estimation unit estimating a joint torque which is a resultant of the drive torque generated by the drive source and a muscle torque generated by a muscle force of the wearer;

a muscle torque estimation unit estimating a muscle torque or muscle force generated by the wearer, based on an association between the estimated drive torque estimated by the drive torque estimation unit and the estimated joint torque estimated by the joint torque estimation unit; and

a parameter identification unit identifying kinetics parameter concerned by substituting the estimated drive torque estimated by the drive torque estimation unit, the angular displacement detected by the joint angle detecting unit, and the muscle torque estimated by the muscle torque estimation unit into an equation of motion of an entire system including kinetics parameters intrinsic to the wearer,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive source according to a predetermined control method based on the equation of motion into which the kinetics parameters identified by the parameter identification unit are substituted.

3. The wearable action-assist device according to claim 2 further comprising a calibration unit adjusting a gain between a biosignal detected by the biosignal detection unit and a muscle torque or muscle force estimated by the muscle torque estimation unit, so that an association between the biosignal and the muscle torque or muscle force is in conformity with a predetermined association.

11. The wearable action-assist device according to claim 2, wherein the biosignal detection unit is used in a state where the biosignal detection unit is stuck on a skin of the wearer, and the biosignal detection unit detecting a myoelectricity of the wearer as the biosignal.

12. The wearable action-assist device according to claim 2, wherein the action-assist wearing tool includes a waist belt, a right leg auxiliary part extending downward from a right side part of the waist belt, and a left leg auxiliary part extending downward from a left side part of the waist belt, and

each of the right leg auxiliary part and the left leg auxiliary part comprising:

a first frame extending downward to support the waist belt;

a second frame extending downward from the first frame;

a third frame extending downward from the second frame;

a fourth frame provided at a lower end of the third frame so that a sole of a foot of the wearer is placed on the fourth frame;

a first joint provided between a lower end of the first frame and an upper end of the second frame, and

a second joint provided between a lower end of the second frame and an upper end of the third frame.

13. The wearable action-assist device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive source according to a control method using the kinetics parameters identified by the parameter identification unit and performing at least one of gravity compensation and inertia compensation.

14. The wearable action-assist device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive source according to an impedance control method using the kinetics parameters identified by the parameter identification unit.