WEARABLE ROBOT AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20150196403A1
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Ji Young, MOON, Kyung-Won, SHIM, Young Bo, LEE, Ju Suk
• Granted Patent: US 10,201,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/72 Bioelectric control, e.g. myoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6818 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6827 Feedback system for providing user sensation, e.g. by force, contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6836 Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6845 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6863 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/701 operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/702 Battery-charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/705 Electromagnetic data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/707 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/708 electrically self charging
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/024 Knee A61H1/0255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0244 Hip A61H1/0255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0266 Foot
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0192 Specific means for adjusting dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1215 Rotary drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1238 with hydraulic or pneumatic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1623 Back
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1628 : Pelvis
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/164 : Feet or leg, e.g. pedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 : Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 : computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 : Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 : Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5069 : Angle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5079 : Velocity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5084 : Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/00 : Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04 ; applying electrical currents by contact electrodes for stimulating motor muscles, e.g. walking assistance A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 : Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/23 : Electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 : Sensing device

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a control method of a wearable robot, including: generating reference gait data based on the results of sensing by a sensor unit included in a structure; estimating, when a wearer walks, the wearer'"'"'s gait phase based on the results of sensing by the sensor unit; detecting a gait phase having a minimum difference from the estimated gait phase from the reference gait data; and driving a driver of the structure, according to a control signal generated based on the estimated gait phase and the detected gait phase.

Claims

1. A control method of a wearable robot, comprising:

generating reference gait data based on results of sensing by one or more sensors associated with the wearable robot;

generating an estimated gait phase of a wearer of the wearable robot based on the results of the sensing;

selecting one of the reference gait data as a detected gait phase based on a similarity between the reference gait data and the estimated gait phase; and

driving a driver of the wearable robot based on the estimated gait phase and the detected gait phase.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise:

a position sensor configured to sense a position of one or more joints included in the wearable robot,

a velocity sensor configured to sense a velocity of the joints, and

a pressure sensor configured to determine whether one or more foot rests associated with the wearable robot is in contact with the ground.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein

the foot rests include a first area associated with a front of a foot of the wearer, a second area associated with a middle portion of the foot of the wearer, and a third associated with a rear portion of the foot of the wearer, and

the pressure sensor is installed in at least one of the first area, the second area, and the third area.

4. The control method according to claim 2, wherein the reference gait data includes a reference trajectory which is a target trajectory which the joint is required to follow when the wearable robot assists the wearer'"'"'s walking.

5. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the driving comprises:

generating a control signal associated with a driving velocity of the driver such that the estimated gait phase gradually converges to the detected gait phase; and

driving the driver according to the control signal.

6. A control method of a wearable robot, comprising:

generating an estimated gait phase of a wearer of the wearable robot based on results of sensing by one or more sensors associated with the wearable robot;

selecting one of reference gait data as a detected gait phase based on a similarity between the reference gait data and the estimated gait phase, the wearable robot being pre-programmed with the reference gait data; and

driving a driver of the wearable robot based on the estimated gait phase and the detected gait phased.

7. The control method according to claim 6, wherein the sensors comprise:

a position sensor configured to sense a position of one or more joints included in the wearable robot,

a velocity sensor configured to sense a velocity of the joints, and

a pressure sensor configured to determine whether one or more foot rests associated with the wearable robot are in contact with the ground.

8. The control method according to claim 6, wherein the driving comprises:

generating a control signal associated with a driving velocity of the driver such that the estimated gait phase gradually converges to the detected gait phase; and

driving the driver according to the control signal.

9. A wearable robot comprising:

a memory configured to store reference gait data therein;

a walking assistance device having an exoskeleton shape such that the walking assistance device is configured to be worn on one or more legs of a wearer of the wearable robot, the walking assistance device including one or more sensors; and

a controller configured to,

generate an estimated gait phase of the wearer based on results of sensing by the sensors,

select one of the reference gait data as a detected gait phase based on a similarity between the reference gait data and the estimated gait phase, and

drive a driver of the wearable robot based on the estimated gait phase and the detected gait phase.

10. The wearable robot according to claim 9, wherein the sensors comprise:

a position sensor configured to sense a position of one or more joints included in the walking assistance device,

a velocity sensor configured to sense a velocity of the joints, and

a pressure sensor configured to determine whether one or more foot rests associated with the walking assistance device is in contact with the ground.

11. The wearable robot according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to generate a control signal to adjust a driving velocity of the driver such that the estimated gait phase gradually converges to the detected gait phase.