Rope-driven neck exoskeleton system and method based on bionic multi-continuum mechanism

Abstract

The invention provides a rope-driven neck exoskeleton system and method based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism, and the rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism comprises a head mechanism which is used for being connected with the head; the shoulder mechanism is used for being connected with the shoulders; the neck exoskeleton is arranged between the head mechanism and the shoulder mechanism; the neck exoskeleton comprises a mechanical arm main body and an elastic driver assembly, and the mechanical arm main body is used for carrying out supporting and power driving on the neck; the elastic driver assembly is used for carrying out supporting and power driving on the head. According to the technical scheme, the effect of relieving cervical vertebra pressure and strain is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of health equipment, and in particular to a rope-driven neck exoskeleton system and method based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the prevalence of smart electronic products and the demands of work and study, people have significantly increased the amount of time they spend looking down, inevitably leading to poor postures such as prolonged sitting and looking down. Medical research shows that even with the correct posture for viewing a phone or reading, the cervical spine still struggles to achieve a neutral curvature. The increasing number of people who spend their time looking down at their phone has led to a significant increase in the number of people with cervical spondylosis and those at risk. According to surveys, the prevalence of cervical spondylosis in adults aged 20-40 is as high as 59.1%. The number of teenagers and office workers suffering from cervical spondylosis is also increasing, with the proportion of patients under 30 years old exceeding that of those between 30 and 50 years old by 22%. Cervical spondylosis has become the top ten most common occupational diseases among modern urban residents.

[0003] Market research data shows that the demand for cervical health products continues to grow, driving the continuous segmentation of various types of home cervical rehabilitation devices. Cervical massagers currently hold the highest market demand, serving as a preferred solution for over 50% of working people seeking cervical pain relief. However, cervical massagers, designed to relieve neck muscle tension and promote blood circulation, are only effective for patients who have been bowing their heads for extended periods. However, the weight of the head inevitably compresses the cervical spine, and the duration of this pressure has increased dozens of times compared to 10 years ago.

[0004] In order to improve the cervical health of people at potential risk of disease, reduce the risk of disease, and provide auxiliary rehabilitation treatment for potential patients with cervical spondylosis, it is of great significance to study cervical orthotic rehabilitation devices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a rope-driven neck exoskeleton system and method based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism, which is used to reduce cervical pressure and strain.

[0006] In a first aspect, a rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism is provided, comprising:

[0007] A head mechanism, used for connecting with the head;

[0008] A shoulder mechanism, for connecting with the shoulder;

[0009] and a neck exoskeleton disposed between the head mechanism and the shoulder mechanism;

[0010] The neck exoskeleton includes a mechanical arm body and an elastic driver assembly, one end of the mechanical arm body is connected to the shoulder mechanism, the other end of the mechanical arm body is connected to one end of the elastic driver assembly, and the other end of the elastic driver assembly is connected to the head mechanism, wherein

[0011] The robotic arm body is used to support and power the neck;

[0012] The elastic driver assembly is used to support and power the head.

[0013] In the above technical solution, a head mechanism is provided for connecting with the head; a shoulder mechanism is provided for connecting with the shoulder; and a neck exoskeleton is provided between the head mechanism and the shoulder mechanism; the neck exoskeleton includes a mechanical arm body and an elastic drive assembly, the mechanical arm body is used to support and power drive the neck; the elastic drive assembly is used to support and power drive the head; the effect of reducing cervical vertebrae pressure and strain is achieved.

[0014] In a specific embodiment, the robot arm body includes a base, a spacer disc and a drive rope, wherein:

[0015] The base is fixedly connected to the shoulder mechanism,

[0016] The base is connected to the spacer disc via a universal joint;

[0017] Adjacent spacer plates are connected via a universal joint;

[0018] The driving rope is sequentially passed through the base and the plurality of spacer discs, and is connected to the spacer disc close to the elastic driver assembly.

[0019] In a specific embodiment, one end of the elastic driver assembly is hinged to the spacer disk located at the end of the robot arm body, and the other end of the elastic driver assembly is hinged to the head mechanism.

[0020] In a specific embodiment, the elastic actuator assembly includes a plurality of elastic actuators connected in series.

[0021] In a specific embodiment, the elastic actuator is a shape memory alloy actuator.

[0022] In a specific embodiment, the head structure includes a headband, wherein:

[0023] The headband is used to be fixedly connected to the head.

[0024] In a specific embodiment, the shoulder mechanism includes a shoulder positioning plate and a shoulder strap, wherein:

[0025] The base is connected to the shoulder positioning plate,

[0026] The shoulder strap is arranged on the shoulder positioning plate.

[0027] In a specific embodiment, it also includes:

[0028] The waist mechanism is used for connecting with the waist.

[0029] In a specific embodiment, the waist mechanism includes a waist positioning plate and a waist belt, wherein:

[0030] The waist positioning plate is fixedly connected to the shoulder positioning plate through the spine positioning plate;

[0031] The waist belt is arranged on the waist positioning plate.

[0032] In a second aspect, a rope-driven neck exoskeleton method based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0033] Connecting with the head using a head mechanism;

[0034] Connecting with the shoulder using a shoulder mechanism;

[0035] Utilize waist mechanism to connect with waist;

[0036] The neck is supported and powered by the main body of the robotic arm;

[0037] The head is supported and powered by an elastic actuator assembly.

[0038] In the above technical solution, the head mechanism is used to connect with the head; the shoulder mechanism is used to connect with the shoulder; the neck is supported and powered by the robotic arm body; the head is supported and powered by the elastic drive assembly; and the waist mechanism is used to connect with the waist; thereby achieving the effect of reducing cervical vertebrae pressure and strain. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the rope-driven neck exoskeleton method based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0041] Among them, 1-head mechanism, 2-shoulder mechanism, 3-neck exoskeleton, 4-waist mechanism, 31-robotic arm body, 32-elastic drive assembly, 311-base, 312-spacer disk, 313-drive rope, 314-universal joint, 321-elastic drive, 11-headband, 21-shoulder positioning plate, 22-shoulder strap, 41-waist positioning plate, 42-waist belt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The present application will be further described in detail below through the accompanying drawings and examples, through which the features and advantages of the present application will become more clear and distinct.

[0043] The word "exemplary" is used exclusively herein to mean "serving as an example, example, or illustration." Any embodiment described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated.

[0044] In addition, the technical features involved in different embodiments of the present application described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0045] To facilitate understanding of the rope-driven cervical exoskeleton system and method based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism provided in the embodiments of the present application, its application scenarios are first explained. The rope-driven cervical exoskeleton system and method based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism provided in the embodiments of the present application are used to reduce pressure and strain on the cervical spine. Modern people's demand for cervical health care products continues to increase, prompting the continuous vertical segmentation of various types of home cervical rehabilitation devices. In terms of product type, cervical massagers currently have the largest market demand, and are the hope of over 50% of workers to relieve cervical pain. However, the function of cervical massagers is to relieve neck muscle tension and promote blood circulation. They can only effectively relieve pain after the patient has lowered their head for a long time. However, the weight of the head inevitably puts pressure on the cervical spine, and the duration of cervical compression has increased by dozens of times compared to 10 years ago. In order to improve the health of the cervical spine in people at potential risk of disease, reduce the risk of disease, and provide auxiliary rehabilitation treatment for potential patients with cervical spondylosis, research on cervical orthopedic rehabilitation devices is of great significance. To this end, the present invention provides a rope-driven neck exoskeleton system and method based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism to reduce cervical spine pressure and strain. The system is described in detail below with reference to specific drawings and embodiments.

[0046] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application; Figure 2This is a flowchart of the rope-driven neck exoskeleton method based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0047] exist Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present application, a rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism is provided, comprising:

[0048] Head mechanism 1, used for connecting with the head;

[0049] A shoulder mechanism 2, used for connecting with the shoulder;

[0050] and a neck exoskeleton 3 disposed between the head mechanism and the shoulder mechanism;

[0051] The neck exoskeleton includes a mechanical arm body 31 and an elastic driver assembly 32, one end of the mechanical arm body is connected to the shoulder mechanism, the other end of the mechanical arm body is connected to one end of the elastic driver assembly, and the other end of the elastic driver assembly is connected to the head mechanism, wherein:

[0052] The robotic arm body is used to support and power the neck;

[0053] The elastic driver assembly is used to support and power the head.

[0054] In the above technical solution, a head mechanism is provided for connecting with the head; a shoulder mechanism is provided for connecting with the shoulder; and a neck exoskeleton is provided between the head mechanism and the shoulder mechanism; the neck exoskeleton includes a mechanical arm body and an elastic drive assembly, the mechanical arm body is used to support and power drive the neck; the elastic drive assembly is used to support and power drive the head; the effect of reducing cervical vertebrae pressure and strain is achieved.

[0055] Specifically, the beneficial effects of the rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism include:

[0056] Health of the human cervical spine

[0057] Reducing cervical spine pressure: In daily life and specific work scenarios, the cervical spine bears pressure from the weight of the head and various postures. This cervical exoskeleton system uses the main body of the robotic arm to support and power the neck, sharing some of the pressure that the cervical spine would otherwise bear. This is especially effective when maintaining a fixed posture for long periods of time (such as sitting at a desk or using electronic devices for extended periods of time). It can effectively reduce the load on the cervical spine and alleviate the fatigue caused by excessive cervical stress.

[0058] Relieve cervical spondylosis: Prolonged poor posture or overuse of the cervical spine can easily lead to strain on soft tissues such as the cervical muscles and ligaments, which can lead to health problems such as cervical spondylosis. The system's elastic actuator components support and power the head, making head movement and posture adjustment easier. This reduces excessive strain on the muscles around the cervical spine caused by frequent adjustments or maintaining specific postures, helping to prevent and alleviate cervical spondylosis symptoms and protect cervical health.

[0059] Assisting human activities

[0060] Providing stable support: This neck exoskeleton system provides stable support for the neck and head during activities that require maintaining a specific neck posture, such as delicate neck surgery or prolonged observation of elevated objects. The robotic arm and elastic actuator components work together to ensure head and neck stability during activities, reducing operational errors and safety hazards caused by neck shaking or instability, and improving accuracy and safety.

[0061] Assisted Neck Movement: For those with limited neck movement, such as those recovering from neck injuries and the elderly, this system can assist with neck movement. Through appropriate drive and control, it helps the neck complete movements such as flexion and extension, lateral flexion, and rotation, promoting neck muscle recovery and improving motor function, thereby enhancing patients' ability to care for themselves and their quality of life. Furthermore, for healthy individuals, the system can also provide a certain amount of auxiliary force during high-intensity neck exercise training, helping the trainee to better complete the training movements and improve training results.

[0062] From the advantages of bionic design

[0063] Advantages of the Bionic Multi-continuum Mechanism: The bionic multi-continuum design mimics certain structural and motion characteristics of biological organisms, making the neck exoskeleton system more flexible and adaptable. Compared to traditional rigid exoskeletons, it better conforms to the natural curves and motions of the human neck, reducing pressure and discomfort on surrounding neck tissues and improving wearer comfort. Furthermore, this design allows the system to more flexibly adjust its form and posture to adapt to varying needs in complex environments and movements.

[0064] Advantages of a rope-driven approach: Using a rope-driven approach to drive a neck exoskeleton system offers advantages such as simple structure, light weight, and flexible movement. Ropes can be flexibly arranged as needed, reducing space requirements and overall system weight, alleviating the wearer's burden. Furthermore, rope-driven approaches enable highly precise motion control. By adjusting the rope tension, the movement of the robotic arm and elastic actuator components can be precisely controlled, achieving precise support and actuation of the neck and head.

[0065] From the perspective of application scenario expansion

[0066] Medical rehabilitation: This cervical exoskeleton system has broad application prospects in medical rehabilitation. For patients with cervical spine injuries and cervical spondylosis, the system can serve as a rehabilitation aid, helping them with neck exercise training and promoting the recovery of cervical spine function. During surgery, the system can also provide stable neck support for surgeons, reducing neck fatigue during procedures and improving surgical precision and success rates. Furthermore, for patients requiring long-term bed rest, the system can assist with head lift and rotation, preventing cervical complications.

[0067] Industrial production: In some industrial production scenarios, workers may need to maintain a specific neck posture for extended periods of time, such as when assembling electronic equipment or debugging precision instruments. This neck exoskeleton system can effectively reduce pressure on workers' cervical spine, lowering the risk of occupational diseases and improving work efficiency and quality. Furthermore, when working in hazardous environments, the system provides additional neck protection, reducing damage to the neck caused by accidental injuries.

[0068] Military: During military operations, soldiers may need to wear helmets, night vision goggles, and other equipment for extended periods, placing significant strain on their necks. This neck exoskeleton system can provide neck support and power assistance, alleviating neck fatigue and improving combat capabilities and endurance. Furthermore, in special operations, the system can assist soldiers in completing tasks requiring specialized neck movements, such as climbing and lurking.

[0069] In terms of user experience and comfort

[0070] Personalized Fit: The head and shoulder mechanisms can be individually designed and adjusted to suit the individual head and shoulder dimensions, ensuring a close fit and enhancing wearer stability and comfort. Furthermore, the elasticity and driving force of the elastic actuator components can be adjusted to meet the varying support and power requirements of each user, providing a more personalized user experience.

[0071] Reduced Fatigue: Because the system effectively reduces cervical spine pressure and strain, users will notice a noticeable reduction in neck fatigue while wearing it. After extended use, neck muscles are no longer as prone to soreness and stiffness, allowing users to more easily carry out various activities, improving the comfort and quality of daily life.

[0072] In a specific embodiment, the robot arm body includes a base 311, a spacer disc 312 and a drive rope 313, wherein the drive rope is connected to a drive motor, and the drive motor is used to drive the drive rope, wherein:

[0073] The base is fixedly connected to the shoulder mechanism,

[0074] The base is connected to the spacer disc via a universal joint 314;

[0075] Adjacent spacer plates are connected via a universal joint;

[0076] The driving rope is sequentially passed through the base and the plurality of spacer discs, and is connected to the spacer disc close to the elastic driver assembly.

[0077] Specifically, the beneficial effects of the robotic arm body include:

[0078] Modularity and flexibility

[0079] Modular Design: The robotic arm consists of a base, spacer discs, and drive cables. This modular structure makes the entire system easy to assemble, disassemble, and maintain. If a component fails, the corresponding module can be quickly located and replaced, reducing repair costs and time and improving system maintainability.

[0080] Improved Flexibility: The base and spacer discs are connected by universal joints, and adjacent spacer discs are also connected by universal joints. The use of universal joints gives the robotic arm a high degree of flexibility, enabling it to rotate and bend freely in multiple directions. This allows it to better adapt to the complex movements and posture changes of the human neck, conforming to the curve of the human neck, reducing pressure and discomfort on the surrounding neck tissues, and improving wearing comfort.

[0081] Lightweight and portability

[0082] Lightweight Structure: The combined structure of a base, spacer discs, and drive cables reduces the use of metal materials compared to traditional rigid robotic arms, resulting in a lighter overall weight. This not only reduces the wearer's burden, allowing the neck exoskeleton system to be worn for extended periods without fatigue, but also makes it easy to carry and move, making it suitable for a variety of different usage scenarios.

[0083] Enhanced portability: The lightweight design allows the neck exoskeleton system to be easily carried to different workplaces or rehabilitation facilities, providing great convenience for users who need to use the system long-term, and improving the system's practicality and versatility.

[0084] Precise motion control

[0085] Precise control of the drive cables: The drive cables are sequentially threaded through the base and spacer discs, connecting to the spacer discs near the elastic actuator assembly. This drive method enables precise control of the robot's main motion. By adjusting the tension and length of the drive cables via the drive motor, the relative position and angle between the spacer discs can be precisely controlled, thereby accurately simulating and assisting the neck's motion trajectory.

[0086] Movement stability: The universal joint connection method ensures the stability of the robotic arm body during movement, reduces the extra burden on the neck caused by shaking or instability during movement, and ensures the smoothness and safety of the neck movement.

[0087] Adapting to complex movements

[0088] Multi-degree-of-freedom: Thanks to the universal joint, the robotic arm has multiple degrees of freedom, enabling it to simulate complex movements of the human neck, such as flexion and extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. This allows the system to better adapt to different head movements, providing users with a more natural and fluid motion-assisted experience.

[0089] Dynamic adaptability: During the movement of the human neck, the robotic arm can adjust its shape and posture in real time, maintain synchronization with the neck movement, and always provide effective support and power drive, enhancing the system's adaptability to dynamic movement.

[0090] Effective support and power drive

[0091] Support Function: The main body of the robotic arm is connected to the shoulder mechanism via a base, providing stable support for the neck and alleviating pressure on the cervical spine. During various activities, such as prolonged desk work or looking up, the main body of the robotic arm effectively supports the neck, reducing the burden on the neck muscles and ligaments, and preventing cervical strain and disease.

[0092] Power Drive: Pulling the drive cable drives the spacer disc, providing power to the neck. When specific neck movements are required, such as assisting with rehabilitation training or completing specific tasks, the robotic arm provides the appropriate driving force to help the neck complete the movement, improving efficiency and accuracy.

[0093] In conjunction with elastic actuator components

[0094] Complementary Functions: The drive cable connects to a spacer disk near the elastic actuator assembly, enabling the main arm and the elastic actuator assembly to work together. The elastic actuator assembly provides support and power for the head, while the main arm focuses on supporting and assisting the neck. Together, they provide comprehensive support and motion assistance for both the neck and head, enhancing the functional integrity of the entire neck exoskeleton system.

[0095] Personalized adaptation

[0096] Size adaptation: The number and spacing of the spacer discs can be flexibly adjusted according to the neck size of different users, ensuring that the robotic arm body can fit the user's neck tightly and provide personalized support and protection.

[0097] Functional customization: By adjusting the driving mode of the drive rope and the elastic force of the elastic drive component, personalized movement patterns and support strength can be customized according to the needs of different users (such as rehabilitation training, sports assistance, etc.) to meet diverse application scenarios.

[0098] Multi-scenario application

[0099] Medical rehabilitation: In cervical spine rehabilitation treatment, this cervical exoskeleton system can assist patients in neck exercise training and promote cervical spine function recovery through the support and drive of the robotic arm. At the same time, its flexible structure and precise control can avoid secondary injuries to patients.

[0100] Daily Support: For those who work at a desk for long periods of time or who are prone to neck fatigue, the system can provide neck support during daily activities, reducing cervical spine pressure and preventing neck problems. Its lightweight design and comfortable wearing experience allow users to use it for long periods of time without affecting their normal activities.

[0101] User experience level

[0102] Wearing comfort

[0103] Reduce the sense of oppression: The modular robotic arm body and universal joint connection method allow the system to fit the neck naturally, reducing the sense of oppression on the tissues around the neck and improving wearing comfort.

[0104] Weight optimization: The lightweight structural design reduces the overall weight of the system, making the wearer less likely to feel fatigue during long-term use and improving the user experience.

[0105] Convenience of operation

[0106] Ease of use: The drive cable is relatively simple to operate and maintain. Users can control the motion of the robot arm through simple control commands, lowering the barrier to entry.

[0107] Real-time feedback: The system can integrate sensors to provide real-time feedback on neck movement status and support strength. Users can adjust their usage based on the feedback information to improve safety and effectiveness.

[0108] In a specific embodiment, one end of the elastic driver assembly is hinged to the spacer disk located at the end of the robot arm body, and the other end of the elastic driver assembly is hinged to the head mechanism.

[0109] Specifically, the beneficial effects of the elastic driver assembly include:

[0110] Efficient power transmission and support: The elastic actuator assembly is connected to a spacer disk at the end of the robot arm's main body at one end and to the head mechanism at the other. This direct connection ensures efficient power transmission. When the robot arm moves or is affected by external forces, the elastic actuator assembly quickly responds, transmitting power to the head mechanism, providing stable support and precise power drive. For example, when a user turns their head, the movement of the robot arm's main body drives the head's rotation in a timely manner through this assembly, reducing power transmission losses and ensuring smooth movement.

[0111] Enhanced Motion Coordination: This connection method makes the elastic actuator assembly a key bridge between the main arm and the head mechanism, greatly enhancing their motion coordination. The main arm, elastic actuator assembly, and head mechanism form an organic whole, with each part working closely together during movement. For example, during complex head movements, the elastic actuator assembly automatically adjusts its extension and contraction based on the movements of the main arm and the forces acting on the head mechanism, ensuring that head movement aligns with the overall movement of the neck exoskeleton, enhancing the user experience and naturalness of movement.

[0112] Optimized Spatial Layout and Portability: This simple connection method optimizes the spatial layout of the neck exoskeleton system, eliminating unnecessary connecting components and complex structures, making the system more compact. It also helps reduce the overall weight of the system, improving portability. Users experience no discomfort due to bulk or excessive weight, making it easier to wear for extended periods of time, making it easier to carry and operate the neck exoskeleton system for both daily activities and specialized work scenarios.

[0113] In a specific embodiment, the elastic actuator assembly includes a plurality of elastic actuators 321 connected in series.

[0114] Specifically, the elastic driver assembly employing multiple elastic drivers in series has the following beneficial effects:

[0115] Enhanced power output and adjustment range: Multiple elastic actuators connected in series can achieve cumulative power output. When the neck exoskeleton system is operating, facing varying head movements, such as rapid head turns or slow head raises, the series-connected elastic actuators work together to provide sufficient and adjustable power, meeting various operating conditions from gentle support to strong actuation, ensuring stable and reliable head support and actuation.

[0116] Improved Flexibility and Adaptability: Each elastic actuator possesses a certain degree of flexibility, and this characteristic is enhanced when connected in series. As the head moves, the elastic actuator components adapt to the head's trajectory and applied forces through their own elastic deformation, reducing impact and restraint on the head. This allows for more natural and smooth head movement, improving wearer comfort and avoiding the discomfort caused by rigid movement restrictions.

[0117] Functional grading and precise control: The tandem structure facilitates functional grading. Different elastic actuators can perform different tasks, such as initial cushioning and precision actuation. By precisely controlling the operating state of each elastic actuator, precise control of head movement is achieved, meeting the requirements for head movement accuracy and stability in different scenarios. For example, it provides more accurate head support and actuation when delicate manipulation or observation is required.

[0118] Improving system fault tolerance and reliability: Connecting multiple elastic actuators in series also increases the system's fault tolerance. If one elastic actuator fails or its performance degrades, the remaining actuators continue to operate, ensuring the normal operation of the neck exoskeleton system's basic functions. This reduces the risk of a single component failure leading to system failure, thereby increasing the system's reliability and service life.

[0119] In a specific embodiment, the elastic actuator is a shape memory alloy actuator.

[0120] Specifically, the beneficial effects of shape memory alloy actuators include:

[0121] Providing superior elastic performance: The zigzag structure gives the elastic actuator unique elastic properties. When subjected to external forces, its multiple bends evenly distribute stress, resulting in softer and more controllable elastic deformation compared to linear structures. This characteristic enables the elastic actuator to flexibly adjust its expansion and contraction according to the head's movement and stress, providing just the right amount of support. Neither insufficient support due to insufficient elasticity nor excessive reaction force due to excessive elasticity creates a more comfortable and natural feel for the user.

[0122] Enhanced Structural Stability: The zigzag design enhances the structural stability of the elastic actuator. The interlocking bends prevent the entire actuator from twisting or deforming under load, maintaining a relatively stable shape and operating state. This stability ensures consistent function of the elastic actuator during long-term use of the neck exoskeleton system, minimizing performance degradation or failures caused by structural deformation, extending the device's lifespan, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0123] Ease of Spatial Layout and Integration: Shape memory alloy actuators offer advantages in space utilization. Their unique shape allows for greater telescopic travel within a limited space without taking up excessive space, contributing to the compact design of the neck exoskeleton system. This characteristic facilitates a more rational layout of components when integrating the elastic actuator assembly into the overall system, reducing interference and improving overall system integration and reliability.

[0124] In a specific embodiment, the head structure includes a headband 11, wherein:

[0125] The headband is used to be fixedly connected to the head.

[0126] Specifically, the beneficial effects include:

[0127] Stable and Reliable Fixation: The headband is directly connected to the head, providing a secure hold. It adjusts to the size and shape of the user's head, ensuring a close fit. This ensures the neck exoskeleton system remains securely connected to the head during various activities, such as walking and turning the head, without loosening or shifting. This ensures the system maintains a secure connection with the head, paving the way for subsequent head support and powertrain operation.

[0128] Comfortable and convenient to wear: The headband is usually made of soft and elastic material, which does not put excessive pressure on the head when worn, improving user comfort. Furthermore, it is simple to wear and can be quickly put on and taken off by the user without complicated operations, making it convenient to use and remove the neck exoskeleton system at any time in different scenarios.

[0129] Strong adaptability: The headband design has a certain degree of versatility and can adapt to users with different head shapes and head circumferences. There is no need to customize special connection components for each user, which reduces system costs and improves the applicability and market value of the product.

[0130] In a specific embodiment, the shoulder mechanism includes a shoulder positioning plate 21 and a shoulder strap 22, wherein:

[0131] The base is connected to the shoulder positioning plate,

[0132] The shoulder strap is arranged on the shoulder positioning plate.

[0133] Specifically, the beneficial effects include:

[0134] Precise Positioning and Stable Support: The shoulder positioning plate provides a stable mounting platform for the base, enabling precise positioning and ensuring accurate alignment between the base and the shoulder of the neck exoskeleton system, laying a solid foundation for subsequent neck support and power transmission. Furthermore, once connected to the base, it leverages the shoulder's skeletal structure to distribute force, providing stable support for the entire system and minimizing the risk of shaking or shifting during use that could affect the neck support.

[0135] Comfortable Wearing Experience: The shoulder straps are positioned on the shoulder positioning plate and can be flexibly adjusted to suit different shoulder sizes and comfort requirements. The soft shoulder strap material disperses pressure, avoiding excessive pressure on the shoulders, allowing users to maintain comfort even during long wear, reducing discomfort and fatigue caused by wearing discomfort.

[0136] Simple and easy to use: The shoulder mechanism is simple, consisting of a shoulder positioning plate and shoulder straps, making it easy to install and use. Users can quickly don the system without complex operations, improving convenience and efficiency, making it easy to use the neck exoskeleton system at any time during daily activities or specific work scenarios.

[0137] In a specific embodiment, it also includes:

[0138] The waist mechanism 4 is used to connect with the waist.

[0139] Specifically, the beneficial effects include:

[0140] Enhanced System Stability: The waist mechanism connects to the waist, providing an additional support point for the entire neck exoskeleton system. During user activity, the waist helps distribute pressure on the neck and shoulders, preventing system sway or shifting caused by relying solely on shoulder support. This provides greater system stability during operation and ensures proper neck support and power drive functions.

[0141] Improved load capacity: By connecting to the waist, the system's overall load capacity is enhanced. When the neck exoskeleton system needs to bear large external forces or perform complex movements, the waist mechanism can share some of the force, allowing the system to withstand greater loads and meet the needs of different scenarios, such as carrying heavy objects or performing high-intensity neck rehabilitation training.

[0142] Optimized force distribution: The addition of the waist mechanism optimizes the force distribution between the human body and the exoskeleton system. It distributes the force originally concentrated in the neck and shoulders to the waist, reducing local pressure and reducing fatigue and discomfort caused by prolonged use. This improves user comfort and the sustainability of the system.

[0143] In a specific embodiment, the waist mechanism includes a waist positioning plate 41 and a waist belt 42, wherein:

[0144] The waist positioning plate is fixedly connected to the shoulder positioning plate through the spine positioning plate;

[0145] The waist belt is arranged on the waist positioning plate.

[0146] Specifically, the beneficial effects include:

[0147] Precise Positioning and Structural Synergy: The lumbar positioning plate is connected to the shoulder positioning plate via the spine positioning plate. This design ensures precise positioning and coordinated operation of the shoulder and lumbar regions relative to the human spine. The spine positioning plate adapts to the physiological curve of the human spine, ensuring a perfect spatial fit between the lumbar and shoulder mechanisms. This allows the various components of the neck exoskeleton to form an organic whole, synergizing during movement to enhance precision in neck support and powertrain.

[0148] Stable support and pressure distribution: The waist belt is set on the waist positioning plate and can be flexibly adjusted to fit the waist tightly, providing stable support for the waist positioning plate. During the user's activities, it can effectively distribute the pressure of the neck exoskeleton system on the shoulders and neck to the waist, reducing the burden on the shoulders and neck, avoiding discomfort or injury caused by excessive local pressure, and improving the user's comfort during long-term use.

[0149] Enhanced System Integrity and Stability: This connection method enhances the integrity and stability of the neck exoskeleton system. The waist and shoulder mechanisms are tightly connected, allowing the system to maintain better balance and stability during various user movements, reducing sway and displacement. This ensures stable and reliable neck support and power drive functions, enhancing the user experience and safety.

[0150] exist Figure 2 In the embodiment of the present application, a rope-driven neck exoskeleton method based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0151] Connecting with the head using a head mechanism;

[0152] Connecting with the shoulder using a shoulder mechanism;

[0153] Utilize waist mechanism to connect with waist;

[0154] The neck is supported and powered by the main body of the robotic arm;

[0155] The head is supported and powered by an elastic actuator assembly.

[0156] In the above technical solution, the head mechanism is used to connect with the head; the shoulder mechanism is used to connect with the shoulder; the neck is supported and powered by the robotic arm body; the head is supported and powered by the elastic drive assembly; and the waist mechanism is used to connect with the waist; thereby achieving the effect of reducing cervical vertebrae pressure and strain.

[0157] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present application may be implemented as a system, method, or computer program product.

[0158] Therefore, the present disclosure may be implemented in the following forms: entirely in hardware, entirely in software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or in a combination of hardware and software, generally referred to herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system." Furthermore, in some embodiments, the present disclosure may be implemented in the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable media, wherein the computer-readable media contains computer-readable program code.

[0159] Any combination of one or more computer-readable media can be used. A computer-readable medium can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device, or component, or any combination thereof. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: an electrical connection with one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this document, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device, or device.

[0160] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present application. Persons skilled in the art may make changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present application. Various substitutions and improvements may be made to the present application on this basis, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism, characterized in that: include: A head mechanism, used for connecting with the head; A shoulder mechanism, for connecting with the shoulder; and a neck exoskeleton disposed between the head mechanism and the shoulder mechanism; The neck exoskeleton includes a mechanical arm body and an elastic driver assembly, one end of the mechanical arm body is connected to the shoulder mechanism, the other end of the mechanical arm body is connected to one end of the elastic driver assembly, and the other end of the elastic driver assembly is connected to the head mechanism, wherein The robotic arm body is used to support and power the neck; The elastic driver assembly is used to support and power the head.

2. The rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The robot arm body includes a base, a spacer disc and a drive rope, wherein: The base is fixedly connected to the shoulder mechanism, The base is connected to the spacer disc via a universal joint; Adjacent spacer plates are connected via a universal joint; The driving rope is sequentially passed through the base and the plurality of spacer discs, and is connected to the spacer disc close to the elastic driver assembly.

3. The rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism according to claim 2 is characterized in that: One end of the elastic driver assembly is hinged to the spacer disc located at the end of the robot arm body, and the other end of the elastic driver assembly is hinged to the head mechanism.

4. The rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism according to claim 3 is characterized in that: The elastic actuator assembly includes a plurality of elastic actuators connected in series.

5. The rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism according to claim 4 is characterized in that: The elastic driver is a shape memory alloy driver.

6. The rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism according to claim 5 is characterized in that: The head structure includes a headband, wherein The headband is used to be fixedly connected to the head.

7. The rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism according to claim 6 is characterized in that: The shoulder mechanism includes a shoulder positioning plate and a shoulder strap, wherein: The base is connected to the shoulder positioning plate, The shoulder strap is arranged on the shoulder positioning plate.

8. The rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism according to claim 7 is characterized in that: Also includes: The waist mechanism is used for connecting with the waist.

9. The rope-driven neck exoskeleton system based on the bionic multi-continuum mechanism according to claim 8 is characterized in that: The waist mechanism includes a waist positioning plate and a waist belt, wherein: The waist positioning plate is fixedly connected to the shoulder positioning plate through the spine positioning plate; The waist belt is arranged on the waist positioning plate.

10. A rope-driven neck exoskeleton method based on a bionic multi-continuum mechanism, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Connecting with the head using a head mechanism; Connecting with the shoulder using a shoulder mechanism; Utilize waist mechanism to connect with waist; The neck is supported and powered by the main body of the robotic arm; The head is supported and powered by an elastic actuator assembly.

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