A Resistive Soft Robotic Exosuit for Dynamic Body Loading in Hypogravity

Area of Science:

• Space exploration
• Human physiology
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Spaceflight causes bone demineralization and muscle atrophy due to reduced gravity.
• Current countermeasures like simple body loading offer only partial protection.
• Mitigating musculoskeletal degradation is crucial for astronaut health and mission success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a resistive hypogravity exosuit (R-HEXsuit) for dynamic body loading in low gravity.
• To assess the R-HEXsuit's impact on metabolic cost and muscle activation in simulated lunar gravity.
• To determine if the R-HEXsuit can replicate Earth-like physical demands and counteract spaceflight-induced deconditioning.

Main Methods:

• Development of a lightweight, soft wearable exosuit (R-HEXsuit) utilizing pneumatic artificial muscles.
• Testing the R-HEXsuit on healthy subjects during walking in Earth gravity and simulated Moon gravity.
• Measurement of metabolic cost and electromyographic activity of key leg muscles.

Main Results:

• The R-HEXsuit increased metabolic cost by 29.3% in simulated Moon gravity, achieving Earth-like levels.
• Significant increases in muscle activation were observed in key knee joint muscles, matching or exceeding Earth levels.
• The exosuit did not negatively alter natural gait patterns during locomotion.

Conclusions:

• The R-HEXsuit is a promising technology for providing dynamic body loading in low-gravity environments.
• It effectively replicates Earth-like physical demands, potentially mitigating musculoskeletal degradation during space missions.
• This wearable solution offers a viable countermeasure for preserving astronaut health during prolonged spaceflight.