Lower limb exoskeletons (LLE) have been successfully used in robotic-assisted rehabilitation to reduce the burden of locomotor impairment of disabled people. However, the design limitations of LLE mechanisms, such as the lack of kinematic compatibility relative to the user’s joints and the use of high stiff or heavy actuators, limit the outcomes of treatment and increase the risk of injury. To address these shortcomings, in this work we present the design of the MRKneeExo, a highly backdrivable and kinematically compatible active knee exoskeleton. The powertrain of the system is composed of a BLDC 70 W motor associated with a harmonic drive gearbox and a customized magneto-rheological (MR) clutch. To improve kinematic compatibility with the user’s knee, a crossed four-bar linkage mechanism (FBLM) was optimally designed to follow the trajectory of the instant center of rotation (ICR) of the knee projected in the parasagittal plane where the joint is placed. The MR clutch is used to decouple the motor-reducer from the FBLM, thus enabling high backdrivability. The results showed a small error (<3 mm) between the FBLM and the knee ICR. Furthermore, the MR clutch allowed for low back-drive torque (1.28 N m) compared to the torque to back-drive the motor-reducer (18.51 N m). This paper is presented in a framework that can be generalized to support the design of other knee exoskeletons.

Degenerative diseases and injuries that compromise hand movement reduce individual autonomy and tend to cause financial and psychological problems to their family nucleus. To mitigate these limitations, over the past decade, hand exoskeletons have been designed to rehabilitate or enhance impaired hand movements. Although promising, these devices still have limitations, such as weight and cost. Moreover, the movements performed are not kinematically compatible with the joints, thereby reducing the achievements of the rehabilitation process. This article presents the biomimetic design of a soft hand exoskeleton actuated using artificial tendons designed to achieve low weight, volume, and cost, and to improve kinematic compatibility with the joints, comfort, and the sensitivity of the hand by allowing direct contact between the hand palm and objects. We employed two twisted string actuators and Bowden cables to move the artificial tendons and perform the grasping and opening of the hand. With this configuration, the heavy part of the system was reallocated to a test bench, allowing for a lightweight set of just 232 g attached to the arm. The system was triggered by the myoelectric signals of the biceps captured from the user’s skin to encourage the active participation of the user in the process. The device was evaluated by five healthy subjects who were asked to simulate a paralyzed hand, and manipulate different types of objects and perform grip strength. The results showed that the system was able to identify the intention of movement of the user with an accuracy of 90%, and the orthosis was able to enhance the ability of handling objects with gripping force up to 1.86 kgf.

The pronation/supination of the forearm are important movements to properly accomplish the activities of daily living. While several exoskeletons have been proposed for the rehabilitation of the arm, few of them have actively implemented the movements of pronation/supination. Often, the addition of this degree of freedom to the mechanism results in a bulky and heavy structure. Consequently, the overall exoskeleton is too big for a wearable solution. This paper proposes a digital prototype and kinematic evaluation of a cable-driven orthosis for pronation/supination movement assistance. The actuator is based on an open ring (semi -circle) to be attached to the forearm, while a stationary guide drives the ring into a rotary movement. By considering anthropomorphic data in the design stage it is possible to develop a rigid, compact, and high power to weight ratio solution for the actuator responsible for pronation and supination. The proposed actuator can achieve the full range of motion for the activities of dail y living and 83% of the rotation of the forearm total range of motion with a total mass of only 150 grams .

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