MOTION-ASSIST SYSTEM OF WEARABLE MOTION-ASSIST DEVICE, WEARABLE MOTION-ASSIST DEVICE, AND MOTION-ASSIST METHOD OF WEARABLE MOTION-ASSIST DEVICE

• US 20100121232A1
• Filed: 08/18/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cyberdyne Inc.
• Original Assignee: University of Tsukuba
• Inventors: Sankai, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,690,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/23
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/00 Apparatus for passive exercising A61H5/00 takes precedence; Vibrating apparatus driving means for vibrating A61H23/00; Chiropractic devices, e.g. body impacting devices, external devices for briefly extending or aligning unbroken bones
• 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 2201/1215 Rotary drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/163 holding means therefor
• 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 2201/5012 using the internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5015 using specific interfaces or standards, e.g. USB, serial, parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5069 Angle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/08 Other bio-electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/50 Temperature
• 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: B25J 9/0006 Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure

Abstract

In the present invention, the motion state of the wearable motion-assist device 10-1 of the doctor 1 is sent to the wearable motion-assist device 10-2 of the patient 2 via a network. Then, this motion state is applied to the wearable motion-assist device 10-2 of the patient 2, so that rehabilitation is conducted for the patient 2. Furthermore, the motion state of the wearable motion-assist device 10-2 of the patient 2 is sent from the wearable motion-assist device 10-2 to the wearable motion-assist device 10-1. Then, the motion state of the wearable motion-assist device 10-2 is applied to the wearable motion-assist device 10-1. Accordingly, the doctor 1 can objectively sense the state of the patient 2.

Claims

1. A motion-assist system of a wearable motion-assist device, the wearable motion-assist device comprising:

a biological signal detecting unit configured to detect a biological signal generated in accordance with a motion of a wearer of a motion-assist tool included in the wearable motion-assist device;

a physical phenomenon detecting unit configured to detect a detection signal corresponding to a physical phenomenon in accordance with the motion of the wearer;

a driving unit configured to apply assistance power to the motion-assist tool worn by the wearer; and

a control unit configured to control the driving unit to generate the assistance power, by performing a calculation process based on the detection signal detected by the physical phenomenon detecting unit, the motion-assist system comprising;

a communications unit configured to connect together a plurality of the control units of a plurality of the wearable motion-assist devices such that communications can be performed therebetween; and

a data transfer unit configured to transfer data corresponding to at least one of the signals acquired in one of the wearable motion-assist devices, to another one of the wearable motion-assist devices via the communications unit, wherein;

the control unit of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices controls the driving unit based on the data transferred by the data transfer unit, such that a motion of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices corresponds to a motion of the one of the wearable motion-assist devices.

2. The motion-assist system of the wearable motion-assist device according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit of the one of the wearable motion-assist devices is connected to the control unit of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices via the communications unit, such that the data can be transmitted and received therebetween.

3. The motion-assist system of the wearable motion-assist device according to claim 2, wherein:

the control unit of the one of the wearable motion-assist devices controls the driving unit based on the data transferred by the data transfer unit, such that the motion of the one of the wearable motion-assist devices corresponds to the motion of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices.

4. The motion-assist system of the wearable motion-assist device according to claim 1, wherein:

the physical phenomenon detecting unit is an angle sensor configured to detect a rotational angle at a joint of the wearer of the motion-assist tool driven by the driving unit.

5. The motion-assist system of the wearable motion-assist device according to claim 1, wherein:

the physical phenomenon detecting unit is a torque sensor configured to detect a torque applied to a joint of the wearer by the driving unit.

6. The motion-assist system of the wearable motion-assist device according to claim 4, wherein:

the control unit of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices controls the driving unit based on the rotational angle at the joint of the wearer wearing the one of the wearable motion-assist devices, whereby the rotational angle is detected by the angle sensor.

7. The motion-assist system of the wearable motion-assist device according to claim 5, wherein:

the control unit of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices controls the driving unit of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices based on the torque of the driving device of the one of the wearable motion-assist devices detected by the torque sensor.

8. The motion-assist system of the wearable motion-assist device according to claim 6, wherein:

the control unit of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices controls the driving unit based on the biological signal detected by the biological signal detecting unit, in the event that a difference between a rotational angle of the joint detected by the angle sensor of the one of the wearable motion-assist devices and a rotational angle of the joint detected by the angle sensor of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices exceeds a threshold that is set in advance.

9. The motion-assist system of the wearable motion-assist device according to claim 7, wherein:

the control unit of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices controls the driving unit based on the biological signal detected by the biological signal detecting unit, in the event that a difference between a torque detected by the torque sensor of the one of the wearable motion-assist devices and another torque detected by the torque sensor of the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices exceeds a threshold that is set in advance.

10. The motion-assist system of the wearable motion-assist device according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit of the wearable motion-assist device comprises a specifying unit configured to specify the control unit of an arbitrary one of the plurality of the wearable motion-assist devices, as a master control unit.

11. The motion-assist system of the wearable motion-assist device according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit of the one of the wearable motion-assist devices sends the detection signal detected by the physical phenomenon detecting unit to the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices via the communications unit; and

the other one of the wearable motion-assist devices comprises a sensing unit configured to cause the wearer to sense the physical phenomenon corresponding to the detection signal received via the communications unit.

12. A motion-assist system of wearable motion-assist devices, for performing communications between a first wearable motion-assist device of a first wearer and a second wearable motion-assist device of a second wearer to perform motion assistance for the second wearer, the first wearable motion-assist device comprising:

a first angle control output torque calculating unit configured to receive a second joint angle of the second wearable motion-assist device sent from the second wearable motion-assist device, and to calculate a first angle control output torque for the second wearable motion-assist device, based on the received second joint angle and a first joint angle of the first wearable motion-assist device corresponding to the received second joint angle;

a first force control output torque calculating unit configured to receive an output torque of the second wearable motion-assist device sent from the second wearable motion-assist device, and to calculate a first force control output torque for the second wearable motion-assist device based on the received output torque;

a first assist control output torque calculating unit configured to calculate a first assist control output torque based on an output torque of an actuator unit of the first wearable motion-assist device, the first joint angle of the first wearable motion-assist device, a first bioelectrical signal corresponding to a muscle force generated by the first wearer, and a first relative force applied to a frame of the first wearable motion-assist device;

a first output torque calculating unit configured to calculate a first output torque for the second wearable motion-assist device, based on at least one of the calculated first angle control output torque and the calculated first force control output torque, and the calculated first assist control output torque; and

a first sending unit configured to send the calculated first output torque and the first joint angle of the first wearable motion-assist device to the second wearable motion-assist device, the second wearable motion-assist device comprising;

a second angle control output torque calculating unit configured to receive the first joint angle of the first wearable motion-assist device sent from the first wearable motion-assist device, and to calculate a second angle control output torque for the first wearable motion-assist device, based on the received first joint angle and the second joint angle of the second wearable motion-assist device corresponding to the received first joint angle;

a second force control output torque calculating unit configured to receive the first output torque sent from the first wearable motion-assist device, and to calculate a second force control output torque for the second wearable motion-assist device based on the received first output torque;

a second assist control output torque calculating unit configured to calculate a second assist control output torque based on an output torque of an actuator unit of the second wearable motion-assist device, the second joint angle of the second wearable motion-assist device, a second bioelectrical signal corresponding to a muscle force generated by the second wearer, and a second relative force applied to a frame of the second wearable motion-assist device;

a second output torque calculating unit configured to calculate a second output torque for the first wearable motion-assist device, based on at least one of the calculated second angle control output torque and the calculated second force control output torque, and the calculated second assist control output torque; and

a second control unit configured to control the actuator unit of the second wearable motion-assist device in accordance with the calculated second output torque.

13. The motion-assist system of wearable motion-assist devices according to claim 12, wherein the first wearable motion-assist device further comprises:

a first control unit configured to control the actuator unit of the first wearable motion-assist device in accordance with the calculated first output torque.

14. The motion-assist system of wearable motion-assist devices according to claim 12, wherein the second wearable motion-assist device further comprises:

a second sending unit configured to send the calculated second output torque and the second joint angle of the second wearable motion-assist device to the first wearable motion-assist device.

15. The motion-assist system of wearable motion-assist devices according to claim 14, wherein:

the second sending unit of the second wearable motion-assist device is further configured to send monitoring information used for observing a state of the second wearer; and

the motion-assist system further comprises a display unit configured to display the sent monitoring information.

16. The motion-assist system of wearable motion-assist devices according to claim 12, wherein:

the first wearable motion-assist device further comprises a first control mode setting unit configured to set a control mode;

the first output torque calculating unit calculates the first output torque based on the calculated first angle control output torque and the calculated first assist control output torque, in the event that the first control mode setting unit has set a first control mode;

the first output torque calculating unit calculates the first output torque based on the first force control output torque and the calculated first assist control output torque, in the event that the first control mode setting unit has set a second control mode;

the first output torque calculating unit calculates the first output torque based on the calculated first angle control output torque, the first force control output torque, and the calculated first assist control output torque, in the event that the first control mode setting unit has set a third control mode;

the second wearable motion-assist device further comprises a second control mode setting unit configured to set a control mode;

the second output torque calculating unit calculates the second output torque based on the calculated second angle control output torque and the calculated second assist control output torque, in the event that the second control mode setting unit has set the first control mode;

the second output torque calculating unit calculates the second output torque based on the second force control output torque and the calculated second assist control output torque, in the event that the second control mode setting unit has set the second control mode; and

the second output torque calculating unit calculates the second output torque based on the calculated second angle control output torque, the second force control output torque, and the calculated second assist control output torque, in the event that the second control mode setting unit has set the third control mode.

17. A wearable motion-assist device worn by a wearer for performing communications with another wearable motion-assist device worn by another wearer, to instruct the other wearable motion-assist device to perform motion assistance or to perform motion assistance based on instructions from the other wearable motion-assist device, the wearable motion-assist device comprising:

an angle control output torque calculating unit configured to receive a joint angle of the other wearer of the other wearable motion-assist device sent from the other wearable motion-assist device, and to calculate an angle control output torque for the other wearable motion-assist device, based on the received joint angle of the other wearer and a joint angle corresponding to the received joint angle of the other wearer of the other wearable motion-assist device;

a force control output torque calculating unit configured to receive an output torque of the other wearable motion-assist device sent from the other wearable motion-assist device, and to calculate a force control output torque for the other wearable motion-assist device based on the received output torque;

an assist control output torque calculating unit configured to calculate an assist control output torque based on an output torque of an actuator unit of the wearable motion-assist device, the joint angle of the wearable motion-assist device, a bioelectrical signal corresponding to a muscle force generated by the wearer, and a relative force applied to a frame of the wearable motion-assist device;

an output torque calculating unit configured to calculate an output torque for the other wearable motion-assist device of the other wearer, based on at least one of the calculated angle control output torque and the calculated force control output torque, and the calculated assist control output torque; and

a control unit configured to control the actuator unit of the wearable motion-assist device in accordance with the calculated output torque.

18. The wearable motion-assist device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a sending unit configured to send the calculated output torque and the joint angle of the wearable motion-assist device to the other wearable motion-assist device.

19. The wearable motion-assist device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a sending unit configured to send monitoring information used for observing a state of the wearer; and

a display unit configured to display the monitoring information sent from the other wearable motion-assist device.

20. The wearable motion-assist device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a control mode setting unit configured to selectively set an arbitrary control mode, wherein;

the output torque calculating unit calculates the output torque based on the calculated angle control output torque and the calculated assist control output torque, in the event that the control mode setting unit has set a first control mode;

the output torque calculating unit calculates the output torque based on the force control output torque and the calculated assist control output torque, in the event that the control mode setting unit has set a second control mode; and

the output torque calculating unit calculates the output torque based on the calculated angle control output torque, the force control output torque, and the calculated assist control output torque, in the event that the control mode setting unit has set a third control mode.

21. A motion-assist method of a wearable motion-assist device, for performing communications between a first wearable motion-assist device worn by a first wearer and a second wearable motion-assist device worn by a second wearer to perform motion assistance for the second wearer, the motion-assist method comprising the steps performed by the first wearable motion-assist device of:

receiving a second joint angle of the second wearable motion-assist device sent from the second wearable motion-assist device, and calculating a first angle control output torque for the second wearable motion-assist device, based on the received second joint angle and a first joint angle of the first wearable motion-assist device corresponding to the received second joint angle;

receiving an output torque of the second wearable motion-assist device sent from the second wearable motion-assist device, and calculating a first force control output torque for the second wearable motion-assist device based on the received output torque;

calculating a first assist control output torque based on an output torque of an actuator unit of the first wearable motion-assist device, the first joint angle of the first wearable motion-assist device, a first bioelectrical signal corresponding to a muscle force generated by the first wearer, and a first relative force applied to a frame of the first wearable motion-assist device;

calculating a first output torque for the second wearable motion-assist device, based on at least one of the calculated first angle control output torque and the calculated first force control output torque, and the calculated first assist control output torque; and

sending the calculated first output torque and the first joint angle of the first wearable motion-assist device to the second wearable motion-assist device, the motion-assist method further comprising the steps performed by the second wearable motion-assist device of;

receiving the first joint angle of the first wearable motion-assist device sent from the first wearable motion-assist device, and calculating a second angle control output torque for the first wearable motion-assist device, based on the received first joint angle and the second joint angle of the second wearable motion-assist device corresponding to the received first joint angle;

receiving the first output torque sent from the first wearable motion-assist device, and calculating a second force control output torque for the second wearable motion-assist device based on the received first output torque;

calculating a second assist control output torque based on an output torque of an actuator unit of the second wearable motion-assist device, the second joint angle of the second wearable motion-assist device, a second bioelectrical signal corresponding to a muscle force generated by the second wearer, and a second relative force applied to a frame of the second wearable motion-assist device;

calculating a second output torque for the first wearable motion-assist device, based on at least one of the calculated second angle control output torque and the calculated second force control output torque, and the calculated second assist control output torque; and

controlling the actuator unit of the second wearable motion-assist device in accordance with the calculated second output torque.

22. A motion-assist method of a wearable motion-assist device, for performing communications with another wearable motion-assist device worn by another wearer, to instruct the other wearable motion-assist device to perform motion assistance or to perform motion assistance based on instructions from the other wearable motion-assist device, the wearable motion-assist device comprising the steps of:

receiving a joint angle of the other wearer of the other wearable motion-assist device sent from the other wearable motion-assist device, and calculating an angle control output torque for the other wearable motion-assist device, based on the received joint angle of the other wearer and a joint angle corresponding to the received joint angle of the other wearer of the other wearable motion-assist device;

receiving an output torque of the other wearable motion-assist device sent from the other wearable motion-assist device, and calculating a force control output torque for the other wearable motion-assist device based on the received output torque;

calculating an assist control output torque based on an output torque of an actuator unit of the wearable motion-assist device, the joint angle of the wearable motion-assist device, a bioelectrical signal corresponding to a muscle force generated by the wearer, and a relative force applied to a frame of the wearable motion-assist device;

calculating an output torque for the other wearable motion-assist device, based on at least one of the calculated angle control output torque and the calculated force control output torque, and the calculated assist control output torque; and

controlling the actuator unit of the wearable motion-assist device in accordance with the calculated output torque.