Modular one-to-many clutchable actuator for a soft elbow exosuit

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Biomechanics
• Human Augmentation

Background:

• Exoskeletons aim to enhance human performance or aid those with neuromuscular deficiencies.
• Traditional exoskeletons often require numerous motors, leading to increased size, weight, and power demands.
• High degrees of freedom in human movement necessitate complex actuation systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel one-to-many actuation strategy for an elbow exosuit.
• To reduce the number of motors in exoskeletons while maintaining functionality.
• To develop a compact and efficient exoskeleton actuation system.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a modular design with clutchable mechanisms for a single motor to drive multiple degrees of freedom.
• Incorporated a locking feature for static load holding with minimal power consumption.
• Developed a finite-state machine controller for the clutchable unit and evaluated performance.

Main Results:

• The one-to-many actuation strategy successfully drives multiple independently actuated degrees of freedom with a single motor.
• The system demonstrated a locking feature for efficient static load support.
• The developed controller enabled operation across varying input velocities.

Conclusions:

• The proposed actuation strategy significantly reduces motor count, size, and weight in exoskeletons.
• The system achieves a bandwidth of 1.5 Hz, suitable for daily elbow movements.
• This approach offers a compact and power-efficient solution for exoskeleton design.