Bioinspired Knee Joint for a Power-Assist Suit

Movement of the knee joint of a human includes rolling and sliding. There also exist rotations in the frontal and horizontal planes. To assist the standing movement of a human, we developed a bioinspired knee joint and torque adjustment mechanism. We evaluated the motion, torque characteristics, and...

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Main Authors: Takehito Kikuchi, Kohei Sakai, Isao Abe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Journal of Robotics
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/3613715
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author Takehito Kikuchi
Kohei Sakai
Isao Abe
author_facet Takehito Kikuchi
Kohei Sakai
Isao Abe
author_sort Takehito Kikuchi
collection DOAJ
description Movement of the knee joint of a human includes rolling and sliding. There also exist rotations in the frontal and horizontal planes. To assist the standing movement of a human, we developed a bioinspired knee joint and torque adjustment mechanism. We evaluated the motion, torque characteristics, and stress of the developed mechanism. This joint allows deep flexion of the knee with small resistance for both the user and the device. In addition, in spite of 33% error in deep flexion, the measured torque over less than 120 degrees fits the designed torque curve. We conducted evaluation tests for a human subject. The electromyogram (EMG) of musculus rectus femoris was measured during standing with or without the assistance. The result shows 30% and 63% reduction with the assistance from 100-degree and 80-degree knee angles, respectively. In addition, the proposed device reduced up to 80% of stress in the frontal plane during standing.
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institution Kabale University
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language English
publishDate 2016-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Journal of Robotics
spelling doaj-art-6c85d22debb44aa7b70ef269a560dbda2025-08-20T03:34:09ZengWileyJournal of Robotics1687-96001687-96192016-01-01201610.1155/2016/36137153613715Bioinspired Knee Joint for a Power-Assist SuitTakehito Kikuchi0Kohei Sakai1Isao Abe2Oita University, Dannoharu 700, Oita 870-1192, JapanOita University, Dannoharu 700, Oita 870-1192, JapanOita University, Dannoharu 700, Oita 870-1192, JapanMovement of the knee joint of a human includes rolling and sliding. There also exist rotations in the frontal and horizontal planes. To assist the standing movement of a human, we developed a bioinspired knee joint and torque adjustment mechanism. We evaluated the motion, torque characteristics, and stress of the developed mechanism. This joint allows deep flexion of the knee with small resistance for both the user and the device. In addition, in spite of 33% error in deep flexion, the measured torque over less than 120 degrees fits the designed torque curve. We conducted evaluation tests for a human subject. The electromyogram (EMG) of musculus rectus femoris was measured during standing with or without the assistance. The result shows 30% and 63% reduction with the assistance from 100-degree and 80-degree knee angles, respectively. In addition, the proposed device reduced up to 80% of stress in the frontal plane during standing.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/3613715
spellingShingle Takehito Kikuchi
Kohei Sakai
Isao Abe
Bioinspired Knee Joint for a Power-Assist Suit
Journal of Robotics
title Bioinspired Knee Joint for a Power-Assist Suit
title_full Bioinspired Knee Joint for a Power-Assist Suit
title_fullStr Bioinspired Knee Joint for a Power-Assist Suit
title_full_unstemmed Bioinspired Knee Joint for a Power-Assist Suit
title_short Bioinspired Knee Joint for a Power-Assist Suit
title_sort bioinspired knee joint for a power assist suit
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/3613715
work_keys_str_mv AT takehitokikuchi bioinspiredkneejointforapowerassistsuit
AT koheisakai bioinspiredkneejointforapowerassistsuit
AT isaoabe bioinspiredkneejointforapowerassistsuit