Wearable power assisting device and method for controlling wearable power assisting device

Abstract

The invention provides wearable power assisting equipment and a method for controlling the wearable power assisting equipment, and relates to the technical field of wearable exoskeletons. The wearable power assisting device comprises an exoskeleton, the exoskeleton comprises a first arm part and a second arm part, and the second arm part is configured to swing relative to the first arm part so as to have a first posture and a second posture; the rope penetrates through the first arm part and the second arm part in a fixed-length manner; the mechanical energy storage mechanism is separated from or connected with the rope through a clutch mechanism, and in the state that the mechanical energy storage mechanism is connected with the rope, the mechanical energy storage mechanism stores energy in the transition period of the second arm part from the first posture to the second posture and releases energy in the transition period of the second arm part from the second posture to the first posture; the sensor is configured to sense motion state data of the exoskeleton; and the controller is configured to execute the target task according to the motion state data to obtain control information, and control the clutch mechanism to be separated from or connected with the rope according to the control information.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of wearable exoskeletons, and in particular, to a wearable assistance device and a method for controlling the wearable assistance device. BACKGROUND

[0002] As a kind of wearable assistance device, exoskeletons have played an important role in many fields such as medical rehabilitation, industrial logistics, emergency rescue and outdoor sports. For example, users can wear wearable assistance devices such as exoskeletons to perform outdoor activities such as mountaineering and hiking to reduce fatigue during the activities.

[0003] However, related assistance devices are difficult to meet the needs of users in various use scenarios, and may cause users to spend a lot of learning costs to learn to wear exoskeletons to perform activities, thereby affecting the user experience. SUMMARY

[0004] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a wearable assistance device and a method for controlling the wearable assistance device.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a wearable assistance device, comprising: an exoskeleton, comprising: a first arm portion and a second arm portion, the second arm portion being configured to swing relative to the first arm portion to have a first attitude and a second attitude, when the second arm portion is in the first attitude, the two ends of the first arm portion and the second arm portion away from each other have a first interval, when the arm portion is in the second attitude, the two ends of the first arm portion and the second arm portion away from each other have a second interval, the second interval is smaller than the first interval; a rope, which is fixed in length and is arranged in the first arm portion and the second arm portion; a mechanical energy storage mechanism, the mechanical energy storage mechanism is separated or connected with the rope through a clutch mechanism, in the state that the mechanical energy storage mechanism is connected with the rope, the mechanical energy storage mechanism stores energy during the transition of the second arm portion from the first attitude to the second attitude, and releases energy during the transition of the second arm portion from the second attitude to the first attitude; a sensor arranged on the exoskeleton and configured to sense motion state data of the exoskeleton; and a controller in communication connection with the sensor and configured to obtain control information according to the motion state data by executing a target task, and control the clutch mechanism to be separated or connected with the rope according to the control information.

[0006] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the controller is configured to perform the following operations to execute the target task: detect the motion pattern of the exoskeleton based on motion state data corresponding to multiple time points to obtain a target motion pattern; and process the motion state data corresponding to multiple time points using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern to obtain first control information or second control information corresponding to each of the multiple specified time points, wherein the first control information is used to control the clutch mechanism to connect with the rope, and the second control information is used to control the clutch mechanism to separate from the rope.

[0007] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the controller is configured to perform the following operations to obtain the control information; determine target motion state data that matches the target motion pattern from motion state data corresponding to multiple time points; and process the target motion state data using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern to obtain the first control information or the second control information.

[0008] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the controller is configured to perform the following operations to obtain the control information; using a control model corresponding to the target motion mode, performing temporal feature fusion on the target acceleration corresponding to multiple target moments in the target time period to obtain target fusion features corresponding to the target motion mode, wherein the target fusion features characterize the mode state of the exoskeleton in the target motion mode; and determining first control information or second control information corresponding to at least one specified moment based on the target fusion features.

[0009] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the aforementioned mechanical energy storage mechanism includes: an elastic element, one end of which is connected to the first arm, and the other end of which is provided with the clutch mechanism. The elastic element is configured to deform with the displacement of the rope along a first direction to provide a traction force to the rope in a second direction opposite to the first direction. When the second arm is in the first posture, the elastic element is in its original state; when the second arm is in the second posture, the elastic element is in a deformed state to provide resistance opposite to the swing direction during the transition of the second arm from the first posture to the second posture, and to provide an auxiliary pushing force during the transition of the second arm from the second posture to the first posture.

[0010] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the clutch mechanism includes: a base disposed at the other end of the elastic member; at least two clamping members disposed on the base, the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members being disposed opposite each other, and the rope passing through the at least two clamping members; the controller includes: a motor connected to the at least two clamping members, the motor being configured to control the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members to move closer or further away according to the control information, so that the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members clamp or release the rope.

[0011] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the clutch mechanism includes: a base disposed at the other end of the elastic member; at least two clamping members disposed on the base, each clamping member being configured to rotate about an eccentric third axis and having a friction surface, the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members being disposed opposite each other, the friction surfaces having a first end and a second end that are far apart, the distance between the first end and the third axis being greater than the distance between the second end and the third axis, and an external rope passing through the at least two clamping members; the controller includes: a motor connected to the at least two clamping members, the motor being configured to control the clamping members to rotate about the third axis according to the control information, so that the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members clamp or release the rope.

[0012] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the controller includes: a processor configured to perform a target task based on the motion state data to obtain the control information; and a control device connected to the clutch mechanism, configured to receive the control information and control the clutch mechanism to separate or connect with the rope based on the control information.

[0013] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the processor is disposed on the exoskeleton and is communicatively connected to the control device; or the processor is disposed on a control terminal that is communicatively connected to the control device.

[0014] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the control information includes first control information or second control information corresponding to multiple specified times. The first control information indicates control of the clutch mechanism to connect with the rope, and the second control information indicates control of the clutch mechanism to disengage from the rope. When the clutch mechanism is connected to the rope, the controller is configured to, in response to receiving the second control information corresponding to the first specified time, control the clutch mechanism to be in a connected state with the rope based on the first control information received within a specified delay period. The specified delay period is longer than the interval between two adjacent specified times among the multiple specified times.

[0015] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, when the clutch mechanism is connected to the rope, the controller is configured to, in response to receiving second control information corresponding to a first specified time, control the clutch mechanism to separate from the rope at a specified trigger time based on at least one second control information received within a specified delay period, wherein the interval between the first specified time and the specified trigger time is the specified delay period.

[0016] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, when the clutch mechanism is connected to the rope, the controller is configured to detect abnormal motion patterns based on the motion state data, obtain abnormal mode control information corresponding to the abnormal motion pattern, and control the clutch mechanism to separate from the rope based on the abnormal mode control information.

[0017] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the aforementioned motion state data includes at least one of the following: velocity data, acceleration data, and altitude data.

[0018] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a method for controlling a wearable assistive device, characterized in that the wearable assistive device includes: an exoskeleton, sensors, and a controller; the exoskeleton includes: a first arm and a second arm, a rope, a mechanical energy storage mechanism, sensors, and a controller; the method is applied to the controller; the second arm is configured to swing relative to the first arm to have a first posture and a second posture; when the second arm is in the first posture, the two ends of the first arm and the second arm that are far apart have a first distance; when the arm is in the second posture, the two ends of the first arm and the second arm that are far apart have a second distance, the second distance being smaller than the first distance; the rope... A fixed-length cable is threaded through the first arm and the second arm. The mechanical energy storage mechanism is disconnected from or connected to the cable via a clutch mechanism. When the mechanical energy storage mechanism is connected to the cable, it stores energy during the transition from the first posture to the second posture of the second arm and releases energy during the transition from the second posture to the first posture of the second arm. The sensor is mounted on the exoskeleton and is configured to sense the motion state data of the exoskeleton. The controller is communicatively connected to the sensor and is used to execute a target task based on the motion state data to obtain control information, and to control the clutch mechanism to disconnect from or connect to the cable based on the control information.

[0019] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned execution of a target task based on the above-mentioned motion state data to obtain control information includes: performing motion pattern detection on the above-mentioned exoskeleton based on motion state data corresponding to multiple times to obtain a target motion pattern; and processing the motion state data corresponding to multiple times using a control model corresponding to the above-mentioned target motion pattern to obtain first control information or second control information corresponding to each of the multiple specified times, wherein the first control information is used to control the connection between the above-mentioned clutch mechanism and the above-mentioned rope, and the second control information is used to control the separation between the above-mentioned clutch mechanism and the above-mentioned rope.

[0020] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned processing of motion state data corresponding to multiple time moments using a control model corresponding to the target motion mode includes: determining target motion state data matching the target motion mode from the motion state data corresponding to multiple time moments; and processing the target motion state data using a control model corresponding to the target motion mode to obtain the first control information or the second control information.

[0021] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned processing of the target motion state data using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern includes: using the control model corresponding to the target motion pattern to perform temporal feature fusion on the target acceleration corresponding to multiple target moments in the target time period to obtain a target fusion feature corresponding to the target motion pattern, wherein the target fusion feature characterizes the mode state of the exoskeleton in the target motion pattern; and determining first control information or second control information corresponding to at least one specified moment based on the target fusion feature.

[0022] According to embodiments of this disclosure, during a user's exercise while wearing a wearable assistive device, a control device automatically controls whether the mechanical energy storage structure intervenes in the exoskeleton's movement process based on the sensed motion state data. This enables the exoskeleton's assistive power mode to be adjusted in real time according to the user's motion state, thereby reducing the learning cost for the user to learn how to control the wearable assistive device, lowering the complexity of the interactive operation required for the user to control the exoskeleton, improving the user's experience during exercise, and reducing fatigue. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will become clearer from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Figure 1 A side view of a wearable assistive device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0025] Figure 2 yes Figure 1The exoskeleton shown is a side view from another perspective.

[0026] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The enlarged view of the exoskeleton shown illustrates the guide wheel mechanism.

[0027] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 The diagram shows the winding path of the guide wheel mechanism for winding the rope.

[0028] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of the clutch mechanism, controller, and mechanical energy storage mechanism shown.

[0029] Figure 6A This is a side view of the clutch mechanism and controller of the wearable assistant device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0030] Figure 6B This is a schematic diagram of the clutch mechanism and controller of a wearable assistant device provided in another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0031] Figure 7A This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the wearable assistive device provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure in walking mode.

[0032] Figure 7B This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the wearable assistive device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure in running mode.

[0033] Figure 7C This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the wearable assistive device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure in uphill mode.

[0034] Figure 7D This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the wearable assistive device provided in this embodiment of the invention in downhill mode.

[0035] Figure 7E A comparative schematic diagram showing the clutch mechanism in engagement state corresponding to multiple target motion modes is shown.

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a wearable assistive device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 9A A flowchart illustrating the control of a wearable assistive device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0038] Figure 9B A flowchart illustrating a training motion pattern recognition model and a control model according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0039] Figure 10A flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a wearable assistive device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0040] In the accompanying drawings, the meanings of the reference numerals are as follows:

[0041] 100. Exoskeleton;

[0042] 110. First arm;

[0043] 120. Second arm; 121. Body; 1211. Rounded corner surface; 1212. Groove structure; 122. Rotating component; 1221. Wearing side; 123. Fourth axis;

[0044] 130. Connecting rod; 131. First axis; 132. Second axis;

[0045] 140. Rope;

[0046] 150. First guide wheel assembly; 151. First guide wheel;

[0047] 160. Second guide wheel assembly; 161. Second guide wheel;

[0048] 170. Third guide wheel assembly; 171. Third guide wheel;

[0049] 181. First connector; 182. Second connector.

[0050] 200. Clutch mechanism;

[0051] 210. Matrix;

[0052] 220. Clamping component; 221. Shaft structure; 222. Friction surface;

[0053] 300. Mechanical energy storage mechanism; 310. Elastic element

[0054] 400. Sensors;

[0055] 500. Controller; 510. Processor; 520. Control device; 521. Motor; 5211. Telescopic motor shaft; 5212. Rotary shaft motor shaft;

[0056] 601. Control terminal. Detailed Implementation

[0057] The embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure for ease of explanation. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and techniques are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0058] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. The terms “comprising,” “including,” etc., as used herein indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, or components.

[0059] All terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. It should be noted that the terms used herein are to be interpreted in a manner consistent with the context of this specification, and not in an idealized or overly rigid way.

[0060] When using expressions such as "at least one of A, B and C", they should generally be interpreted in accordance with the meaning that is commonly understood by those skilled in the art (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B and C" should include, but is not limited to, a system having A alone, a system having B alone, a system having C alone, a system having A and B, a system having A and C, a system having B and C, and / or a system having A, B and C, etc.).

[0061] In the embodiments disclosed herein, the collection, updating, analysis, processing, use, transmission, provision, disclosure, and storage of data (e.g., including but not limited to user personal information) comply with relevant laws and regulations, are used for legitimate purposes, and do not violate public order and good morals. In particular, necessary measures have been taken to prevent unauthorized access to user personal information data and to safeguard user personal information security, network security, and national security.

[0062] In the embodiments disclosed herein, user authorization or consent is obtained before acquiring or collecting user personal information.

[0063] Exoskeletons, as wearable assistive devices, have significant application value in fields such as medical rehabilitation, industrial logistics, emergency rescue, and outdoor sports. Their core function is to assist users in rebuilding motor function or to provide assistance for specific movements during prolonged work, thereby effectively alleviating user fatigue and reducing the risk of physical injury. However, current exoskeleton devices struggle to meet the diverse sports needs of users, requiring them to invest considerable learning costs in mastering the operating modes of the exoskeleton, which impacts the user experience during exercise.

[0064] Embodiments of this disclosure provide a wearable assistive device and a method for controlling the wearable assistive device. The wearable assistive device includes an exoskeleton, sensors, and a controller. The exoskeleton includes a first arm and a second arm, ropes, and a mechanical energy storage mechanism.

[0065] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second arm is configured to swing relative to the first arm to have a first posture and a second posture. When the second arm is in the first posture, the two ends of the first arm and the second arm that are far apart have a first distance. When the arm is in the second posture, the two ends of the first arm and the second arm that are far apart have a second distance. The second distance is smaller than the first distance.

[0066] The rope is threaded at a fixed length through the first arm and the second arm.

[0067] The mechanical energy storage mechanism is separated from or connected to the rope via a clutch mechanism. When the mechanical energy storage mechanism is connected to the rope, it stores energy during the transition from the first posture to the second posture of the second arm and releases energy during the transition from the second posture to the first posture of the second arm.

[0068] The sensors are mounted on the exoskeleton and are configured to sense the exoskeleton's motion data.

[0069] The controller communicates with the sensor and is configured to execute the target task based on motion state data to obtain control information, and control the clutch mechanism to separate or connect with the rope based on the control information.

[0070] Figure 1 A side view of a wearable assistive device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The exoskeleton shown is a side view from another perspective. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The enlarged view of the exoskeleton shown illustrates the guide wheel mechanism. Figure 4 yes Figure 2 The diagram shows the winding path of the guide wheel mechanism for winding the rope. Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of the clutch mechanism, controller, and mechanical energy storage mechanism shown.

[0071] According to embodiments of this disclosure, referring to Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the exoskeleton 100 includes a first arm 110, a second arm 120, a rope 140, and a mechanical energy storage mechanism 300. The second arm 120 is configured to swing relative to the first arm 110 to have a first posture and a second posture. When the second arm 120 is in the first posture, the two ends of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 that are far apart have a first distance. When the arm is in the second posture, the two ends of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 that are far apart have a second distance, and the second distance is smaller than the first distance. The rope 140 is threaded through the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 at a fixed length. The mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 is disconnected from or connected to the rope 140 via a clutch mechanism 200. When the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 is connected to the rope 140, the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 stores energy during the transition of the second arm 120 from the first posture to the second posture, and releases energy during the transition of the second arm 120 from the second posture to the first posture.

[0072] According to embodiments of this disclosure, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, when the second arm 120 is in the first posture, the second arm 120 and the first arm 110 are arranged sequentially along the maximum dimension direction of the exoskeleton 100. When the second arm 120 is in the second posture, both the second arm 120 and the first arm 110 are approximately parallel to the maximum dimension direction of the exoskeleton.

[0073] In some illustrative embodiments, reference is made to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 are generally rectangular plate-shaped structures. The "generally long strip" shape can be understood as the length of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 being significantly greater than their width, with the maximum dimension extending along the length direction.

[0074] In some embodiments, to conform to the lines of human bones and muscles, the first arm portion 110 and the second arm portion 120 may be designed to have irregular external contours so that they do not strictly conform to the geometric definition of a rectangle.

[0075] In some embodiments, referring to the above structure, the exoskeleton including the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 is adapted to be worn at the user's flexor joint, and the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 can extend and flex with the user, and the second arm 120 can swing relative to the first arm 110 between the first posture and the second posture.

[0076] Taking the lower limb exoskeleton as an example: the size of the first arm 110 can be configured to be greater than or equal to that of the second arm 120. The first arm 110 can be fixed to the outside of the user's thigh, while the second arm 120 is fixed to the outside of the calf, thus forming a wearing layout that conforms to the structure of the human lower limb. In addition, the connecting rod 130 described below is located in the user's knee joint area and does not need to be directly bound to the knee joint.

[0077] When the human body is in an upright posture, the knee joint is in a stable closed position, and the angle between the femur and tibia is close to 0°. At this time, the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 of the exoskeleton are in the corresponding first posture. When the user performs a squatting, sitting, or knee flexion movement during gait, the knee joint flexes, and the second arm 120 of the exoskeleton swings relative to the first arm 110 to the second posture, achieving synchronization with the movement of the human joint.

[0078] When the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 is connected to the rope 140 via the clutch mechanism 200, when the user's second arm 120 moves from the first posture to the second posture during the exercise, the fixed-length rope 140 pulls the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300, storing the kinetic potential energy during the bending of the human joint inside the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300; subsequently, when the user performs an extension movement, causing the second arm 120 to return from the second posture to the first posture, the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 releases the stored potential energy through the rope 140, converting it into effective mechanical assistance for the extension movement.

[0079] It should be noted that although the energy storage process requires the user to overcome the resistance (such as elasticity) of the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300, the dominant muscle group is in an eccentric contraction state at this time. Eccentric muscle contraction has higher biomechanical efficiency than concentric contraction, generating greater tension per unit cross-sectional area and with lower metabolic consumption. Therefore, the additional load added by the user overcoming the resistance of the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 has a limited impact on overall energy consumption. In the subsequent extension phase, when the muscle group switches to the more metabolically costly concentric contraction, the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 releases the stored energy in a timely manner, directly providing auxiliary torque and significantly reducing the activation level and energy consumption of the main extensor muscle groups. This achieves phase regulation of energy, allowing the metabolic savings gained by the user in the extension phase to far exceed the additional consumption in the flexion phase, thereby generating a net energy gain over the entire movement cycle and achieving an overall energy-saving engineering biology effect.

[0080] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, sensor 400 can be installed on the second arm 120 to sense motion state data such as acceleration and velocity data of the second arm 120 during its swinging motion. Control device 500 communicates with sensor 400 via a wireless or wired connection to receive motion state data corresponding to multiple moments transmitted by sensor 400. Control device 500 may include a processor for performing a target task; for example, it may include a chip for performing computational tasks. By using the chip to process the motion state data according to a preset algorithm model, the target task is executed to obtain control information for instructing clutch mechanism 200 to perform actions.

[0081] The control device 500 is mechanically connected to the clutch mechanism 200. The control device 500 can control the clutch mechanism 200 to connect or disconnect from the rope 140 based on received control information. Furthermore, the control information can instruct the control device 500 to connect or disconnect the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 from the rope 140. Thus, based on the user's movement while wearing the wearable assistive device, the control device 500 can automatically control whether the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 intervenes in the exoskeleton's movement process according to the perceived motion data. This allows for real-time adjustment of the exoskeleton's assistive power mode according to the user's movement state, reducing the learning cost for the user to learn how to control the wearable assistive device, lowering the complexity of the interactive operation required for user control of the exoskeleton, improving the user's experience during exercise, and reducing fatigue.

[0082] In some illustrative embodiments, reference is made to Figure 3 As shown, with the extension direction of the first axis 131 as the cutting direction, in the section orthogonal to the first axis 131, the cross section of the connecting rod 130 is configured as a racetrack-shaped structure.

[0083] In some illustrative embodiments, reference is made to Figure 3 As shown, the connecting rod 130 is constructed as a racetrack-shaped structure in a section orthogonal to the extension direction of the first axis 131. The racetrack-shaped structure can be understood as a geometric shape composed of two parallel straight sides and semicircles at both ends.

[0084] Based on this, the first arm 110, the second arm 120, and the connecting rod 130 are connected by, but are not limited to, the following: Figure 3The coaxial ring sleeve structure shown enables a pivotal connection. Specifically, each end of the connecting rod 130 forms a journal-shaped inner ring, while precision circular holes are provided at corresponding positions on the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 as outer rings. A sliding bearing pair is formed through the clearance fit between the inner and outer rings, allowing the end of the connecting rod 130 to rotate smoothly around its axis within the circular holes of the first arm 110 (second arm 120). This integrated bushing structure directly integrates the motion functional unit onto the component body, ensuring the positioning accuracy of the first axis 131 and the second axis 132 while achieving an extremely compact and lightweight design of the joint, effectively avoiding dimensional errors and weight burdens introduced by additional connecting parts. It should be understood that the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0085] For example, the pivotal connection between the first arm 110 (second arm 120) and the connecting rod 130 can also be a solid shaft structure or a bushing sleeve fitted outside the shaft structure.

[0086] According to embodiments of this disclosure, referring to Figure 3 As shown, a groove structure 1212 is provided at the end of the first arm 110 near the second arm 120, and one end of the connecting rod 130 is located within the groove structure 1212. And / or, a groove structure 1212 is provided at the end of the second arm 120 near the first arm 110, and the other end of the connecting rod 130 is located within the groove structure 1212.

[0087] According to embodiments of this disclosure, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the rounded corner structure formed by the first arm portion 110 is configured to have a central angle greater than or equal to 90°. And / or, the rounded corner structure formed by the second arm portion 120 is configured to have a central angle greater than or equal to 90°.

[0088] In some illustrative embodiments, reference is made to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the adjacent ends of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 are both configured with rounded corners, and they abut against each other through their rounded corner surfaces 1211 to form a contact pair. Specifically, the rounded corners of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 are both configured with a central angle equal to 90°, which allows the second arm 120 to have a swing angle of nearly 180° relative to the first arm 110 when it swings from a first posture to a second posture. It should be understood that the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0089] For example, the angle of the central angle of the rounded structure formed by the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 can also be configured as 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°, 95°, 100°, 105°, 110° and other arbitrary angles.

[0090] For example, in an embodiment where the exoskeleton is worn on a user's lower or upper limbs, the range of motion of the knee joint from the extended position (i.e., in the aforementioned closed, bundled position) to the flexion limit position is approximately 0° to 140°, while the range of motion of the elbow joint from the extended position to the flexion limit position is approximately 0° to 150°. Therefore, the central angle of the rounded structure formed by the first arm portion 110 and the second arm portion 120 can also be configured as 70°, 75°, 80°, 85°, and other arbitrary angles.

[0091] In this embodiment, by configuring the first arm portion 110 and the second arm portion 120 as rounded structures with the aforementioned central angle, the flexion and extension angle requirements of the human body's flexor joints can be met, so that they are more matched with the flexion movements of the corresponding joints.

[0092] According to embodiments of this disclosure, referring to Figure 3 As shown, the exoskeleton also includes at least two first guide wheel assemblies 150 and at least two second guide wheel assemblies 160. The at least two first guide wheel assemblies 150 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the bisector of the rounded corner structure of the first arm portion 110. The at least two second guide wheel assemblies 160 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the bisector of the rounded corner structure of the second arm portion 120. A rope 140 of a fixed length is threaded through the first guide wheel assemblies 150 and the second guide wheel assemblies 160, and crosses both sides of the line connecting the first axis 131 and the second axis 132 to form a bidirectional closed-loop winding path.

[0093] When the second arm 120 is worn on the user's calf, the wearing side 1221 of its rotating component 122 can be designed as a curved surface that matches the contour of the calf muscles. This rotating mechanism allows the exoskeleton to dynamically adapt to the morphological changes of the muscle groups and the displacement of soft tissues during walking or flexion and extension of the calf, and to always maintain a close fit to the limb surface through adaptive rotation about the fourth axis 123.

[0094] This significantly improves user comfort and force transmission efficiency. On the one hand, it effectively avoids localized compression or detachment caused by changes in limb shape in traditional rigid structures. On the other hand, it optimizes the distribution of assistive force by increasing the effective contact area, making the exoskeleton's drive on the lower leg more natural and efficient, while reducing energy loss and skin friction risks during exercise. It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited thereto.

[0095] For example, the first arm portion 110 can also be configured as a body 121 and a rotating member 122 similar to the second arm portion 120 to fit the curve of the user's thigh. Its specific implementation and function are similar to the embodiment described above where the second arm portion 120 is worn on the calf, and therefore will not be repeated.

[0096] According to embodiments of this disclosure, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, each first guide pulley group 150 includes at least one first guide pulley 151, and each second guide pulley group 160 includes at least one second guide pulley 161. According to the winding path of the rope 140, the rope 140 first passes around a first guide pulley 151 located on one side of the line connecting the first axis 131 and the second axis 132, and then guides to a second guide pulley 161 on the same side; the rope 140 also bridging to the other side of the line, successively passing around another first guide pulley 151 and another second guide pulley 161 on the other side.

[0097] In this implementation, by symmetrically arranging at least two first guide wheel sets 150 on both sides of the angle bisector of the rounded corner structure of the first arm 110, and correspondingly arranging at least two second guide wheel sets 160 at symmetrical positions on the second arm 120, a complete path for symmetrical transmission of force and motion is constructed. This symmetrical layout effectively eliminates the additional joint torque caused by the unidirectional traction of the rope 140, avoids lateral load phenomena, and ensures that the tension of the rope 140 is always efficiently transmitted along the common normal direction of the contact point, minimizing the internal force loss of the system. In addition, this layout also ensures that the second arm 120 has completely symmetrical displacement amplification characteristics and dynamic response speed relative to the first arm 110 in both positive and negative rotational directions.

[0098] Furthermore, by bridging the connecting rod 130 from one side to the other (i.e., the line connecting the first axis 131 and the second axis 132), a spatially symmetrical closed loop path is formed, thus constructing a displacement amplification mechanism. When the second arm 120 rotates relative to the first arm 110, the guide wheel groups on both sides of the connecting rod 130 synchronously generate displacement of the rope 140. Through displacement superposition, the effective stroke reaches more than twice that of the single-sided structure. This bridging design decomposes the rotational angular displacement into two independent displacement components of the rope 140, and then achieves vector synthesis through the loop path, effectively eliminating the hysteresis phenomenon caused by transmission backlash.

[0099] In this way, through the synergistic effect of the above-mentioned symmetrical arrangement and bridging design, when the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 rotate relative to each other through the conjugate rolling contact pair, the small angular displacement at the joint is efficiently converted into the synergistic displacement of multiple rope segments 140, forming an equivalent displacement amplification structure based on the principle of movable pulley, so as to avoid the response lag and motion jerking caused by the unidirectional traction of the rope 140 in related technologies.

[0100] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 The diagram shows the winding path of the guide wheel mechanism for winding the rope.

[0101] According to embodiments of this disclosure, referring to Figure 4As shown, the first guide wheel assembly 150 includes at least two first guide wheels 151, which are coaxial and stacked. The second guide wheel assembly 160 includes at least two second guide wheels 161, which are coaxial and stacked. According to the winding path of the rope 140, the rope 140 first winds around the first first guide wheel 151, then guides to the adjacent first second guide wheel 161; thereafter, the rope 140 transitions to the second first guide wheel 151 and finally winds around the second second guide wheel 161, with the rope 140 winding around the outer circumference of each guide wheel.

[0102] In some illustrative embodiments, reference is made to Figure 4 As shown, the same first guide wheel group 150 includes, but is not limited to, having two first guide wheels 151, which are coaxially and fixedly connected to form a rigid synchronous rotation unit. That is, the different first guide wheels 151 in the same first guide wheel group 150 maintain completely synchronized angular displacement and linear velocity under any operating condition. Similarly, the same second guide wheel group 160 also has two fixedly connected second guide wheels 161, which will not be described in detail here.

[0103] For the first guide wheel assembly 150 and the second guide wheel assembly 160 located on the same side of the connecting rod 130 (i.e., the line connecting the first axis 131 and the second axis 132), the routing path of the rope 140 can be referred to Figure 4 As shown: First, force transmission is established around the outer circumference of the first guide wheel 151 (the lower guide wheel 151); then, it is guided to the first second guide wheel 161 (the lower guide wheel 161) on the same side to complete the first reversal; next, it transitions to the second first guide wheel 151 (the upper guide wheel 151) for secondary traction; finally, it completes the path closure on this side by passing around the second second guide wheel 161 (the upper guide wheel 161). Afterward, the rope 140 is guided to the other side of the connecting rod 130 through other guide wheel groups (such as the third guide wheel group 170 described below), and then passed through the first guide wheel group 150 and the second guide wheel group 160 on the other side of the connecting rod 130 in a similar winding manner, thereby forming a cooperative displacement mechanism of the four rope segments 140.

[0104] This creates a two-stage displacement amplification system between the first arm 110 and the second arm 120: the first first guide wheel 151 and the first second guide wheel 161 on the same side form a primary amplification unit, achieving a 2x displacement amplification; subsequently, the second first guide wheel 151 and the second second guide wheel group 160 form a secondary amplification unit, achieving another 2x amplification based on the previous stage. In other words, through this series amplification mechanism, the exoskeleton can ultimately achieve a 4x displacement amplification effect, effectively converting the minute angular displacement at the user's joints into a significant and easily controllable displacement.

[0105] During the execution of the exoskeleton described above, when the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 releases its stored elastic potential energy, this energy is transmitted through the rope 140 to the transmission system composed of the first guide wheel group 150 and the second guide wheel group 160. By repeatedly winding the rope 140 along a specific path through the symmetrically distributed guide wheel groups, the system forms an equivalent movable pulley amplification mechanism. According to the working principle of the pulley system, when the rope 140 forms a continuous winding path between multiple guide wheels, the displacement at the output end is proportional to the number of effective working segments of the rope. In this embodiment, by configuring two guide wheels in each guide wheel group and adopting a symmetrical winding method, the rope forms four effective working segments, ultimately amplifying the initial displacement output by the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 to four times. This allows the system to provide significantly enhanced mechanical assistance to the user when the second arm 120 returns from a flexed posture (i.e., the second posture) to an extended posture (the first posture). It should be understood that the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0106] In some illustrative embodiments, reference is made to Figure 4 As shown, the exoskeleton also includes a first connector 181 and a second connector 182. Specifically, the first connector 181 is fixedly connected to one end of the rope 140, connecting the first end of the rope 140 to the first arm portion 110. The first connector 181 includes, but is not limited to, being configured as a rod structure, which can be configured to extend along the extension direction of the first arm portion 110, so that the second end of the rope 140 approaches the first guide wheel assembly 150 along the extension direction of the first arm portion 110, and wraps around the outer circumferential surfaces of the first guide wheel 151 and the second guide wheel 161 similarly to the embodiment described above. Further, the second connector 182 is disposed near the outer circumferential side of the third guide wheel 171 located on the other side of the connecting rod 130, so that the second end of the rope 140 is connected to the third guide wheel 171; the specific winding path can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 4 As shown in S1 to S9.

[0107] It should be noted that the arrows formed by S1 to S9 above only indicate the sequence of the rope 140 from the first end to the second end. In reality, when the second arm 120 swings relative to the first arm 110, the displacement and force transmission of the rope 140 can be bidirectionally transmitted along the path from S1 to S9 according to the direction of motion.

[0108] It should be noted that, Figure 3 and Figure 4 The connection between the exoskeleton and the ropes, as well as the location and number of guide wheels in the exoskeleton, are shown only as illustrative examples illustrating the movement of the ropes and the energy storage and release process of the mechanical energy storage mechanism during the relative swinging of the first and second arms. They are not intended to limit the structural form or number of components of the exoskeleton. The following will describe in detail the execution process of the wearable assistive device during exoskeleton movement with specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0109] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the sensor can be any type of sensing device used to sense the movement state of the exoskeleton, such as a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, an altitude detector, etc.

[0110] According to embodiments of this disclosure, motion state data includes at least one of the following: velocity data, acceleration data, and altitude data.

[0111] Velocity data can represent the swinging speed of the first or second arm, or it can represent the movement speed of the exoskeleton relative to reference points such as the ground. Velocity data of the exoskeleton can be sensed using velocity sensors such as satellite positioning systems, allowing the controller to obtain control information by executing target tasks based on the acquired velocity data.

[0112] Acceleration data can represent the swinging acceleration of the first or second arm, or it can represent the movement acceleration of the exoskeleton relative to a reference object such as the ground. Acceleration data during movement can be sensed by accelerometers such as inertial measurement units (IMUs) placed at the displacement positions of the exoskeleton, such as the first or second arm.

[0113] Altitude data can be collected from sensors such as barometric altimeters used to perceive altitude. The controller can perform the target task and obtain control information based on at least one of the velocity data, acceleration data, and altitude data.

[0114] In some embodiments, the controller may process motion state data based on a trained neural network model to obtain first control information for controlling the connection between the clutch mechanism and the rope, or second control information for controlling the separation of the clutch mechanism from the rope.

[0115] In some embodiments, the controller includes a processor and a control device.

[0116] The processor is configured to perform target tasks and obtain control information based on motion state data. The processor can be any chip or microprocessor capable of performing computational tasks, such as a central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), or any other such device.

[0117] The control device is connected to the clutch mechanism and is configured to receive control information and control the clutch mechanism to separate or connect with the rope according to the control information. The control device can be, for example, a telescopic motor, a rotary motor, or other device used to control the clutch mechanism to perform actions.

[0118] Figure 5 yesFigure 1 Enlarged view of the clutch mechanism, controller, and mechanical energy storage mechanism shown.

[0119] According to embodiments of this disclosure, referring to Figure 5 As shown, the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 includes at least one elastic element. Alternatively, the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 includes at least two elastic elements. One end of the elastic element is connected to the first arm, and the other end of the elastic element is provided with a clutch mechanism 200. The elastic element is configured to deform with the displacement of the rope 140 in a first direction to provide a traction force to the rope in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The first direction can be, for example, from the clutch mechanism 200 toward the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300. Thus, during the downward movement of the rope 140, the elastic elements of the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 can provide a tension force from the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300 to the clutch mechanism 200 as a traction force through tensile deformation, thereby realizing the energy storage process of the mechanical energy storage mechanism 300.

[0120] When the second arm 120 is in the first posture, the elastic element is in its original state; when the second arm 120 is in the second posture, the elastic element is in a deformed state to provide resistance opposite to the swing direction during the transition of the second arm 120 from the first posture to the second posture, and to provide auxiliary pushing force during the transition of the second arm 120 from the second posture to the first posture. For example Figure 4 As shown, the downward movement of the rope 140 can represent the transition period of the second arm 120 from the first posture to the second posture.

[0121] The controller 500 controls the clutch mechanism 200 to connect or disconnect from the rope 140 according to control information by connecting to the clutch mechanism 200.

[0122] Because the first and second arms of the exoskeleton can be worn on one of the user's limbs—for example, the first and second exoskeletons can be worn on the user's left and right legs respectively—the user can move by alternating steps with their left and right legs. The controllers of the first and second exoskeletons can execute target tasks based on the exoskeleton's motion state data perceived by their respective sensors, obtaining control information for controlling the clutch mechanisms of the first and second exoskeletons respectively. For example, during a specific time period, when the second arm of the first exoskeleton transitions from a second posture to a first posture, the controller of the first exoskeleton controls the corresponding clutch mechanism to connect the corresponding rope and mechanical energy storage mechanism, thereby releasing energy from the mechanical energy storage mechanism of the first exoskeleton during that specific time period. Simultaneously, during the same specific time period, when the second arm of the second exoskeleton worn on the right leg transitions from a first posture to a second posture, the controller of the second exoskeleton controls the corresponding clutch mechanism to separate the rope and mechanical energy storage mechanism. This prevents the mechanical energy storage structure of the second arm of the second exoskeleton from providing resistance opposite to the direction of rope movement during the transition from the first posture to the second posture, reducing the extra work required by the user's muscles to overcome the resistance of the mechanical energy storage mechanism.

[0123] Therefore, by using controllers on different exoskeletons worn by the user to control the connection or disconnection of the clutch mechanism with the rope, the user can adjust the energy release mode or energy storage process of the mechanical energy storage mechanism in real time during the alternating movement of the legs or the alternating movement of the hands. This reduces the extra work done by the user while using the exoskeleton and avoids the complexity and cost of interaction caused by the user frequently operating the clutch mechanism, thereby improving the user experience.

[0124] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the clutch mechanism includes a base and at least two clamping members.

[0125] The base is located at the other end of the elastic member. One end of the elastic member can be connected to the first arm.

[0126] At least two clamping elements are disposed in the base, the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping elements are arranged opposite each other, and the rope passes through the space between the at least two clamping elements.

[0127] The controller includes a motor connected to at least two clamping members. The motor is configured to control the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members to move closer or further away according to control information, so that the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members clamp or release the rope.

[0128] Figure 6A This is a side view of the clutch mechanism and controller of the wearable assistant device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0129] like Figure 6AAs shown, two clamping members 220 are disposed in the base 210. A rope 140 passes through the through hole of the base 210 and between the two clamping members 220. The friction surfaces 222 of the two clamping members 220 are arranged opposite each other. The motor 521 of the control device is disposed on the base 210. The telescopic motor shaft 5211 of the motor 521 can pass through the base 210 and connect to the clamping members 220. One end of the elastic member 310 of the mechanical energy storage mechanism is connected to the first arm, and the other end of the elastic member is connected to the base 210.

[0130] Therefore, upon receiving the first control information, the control device can control the telescopic motor shaft 5211 of motor 521 to move towards the rope 140, thereby causing the two clamping members 220 to move closer together to tighten the rope 140, and thus connecting the rope 140 to the mechanical energy storage mechanism via the clutch mechanism. Correspondingly, upon receiving the second control information, the control device can control the telescopic motor shaft 5211 of motor 521 to move in the opposite direction towards the rope 140, thereby causing the two clamping members 220 to move away from each other to allow the rope 140 to move freely between the two elastic members 220, and thus separating the rope 140 from the mechanical energy storage mechanism via the clutch mechanism.

[0131] It should be noted that the substrate 210 can be an opaque shell; however, for ease of demonstration, it will be shown separately. Figure 6A The base 210 is represented by a dashed line to clearly illustrate the positional relationship between the base and the elastic element and the clamping element.

[0132] In some illustrative embodiments, the clutch mechanism 200 includes a base 210, which includes, but is not limited to, a shell assembly configured as a body structure. Specifically, through holes are provided on opposite sides of the shell assembly, the inner diameter of which is configured to be greater than or equal to the diameter of the rope 140, allowing the rope 140 to pass through the through holes 211 through the shell assembly. That is, when the clamping member 220 of the clutch mechanism 200 is disengaged from the rope 140, the rope 140 is movable relative to the clutch mechanism 200, and movement of the rope 140 along its extension direction does not cause displacement of the clutch mechanism 200. When the clamping member 220 is disengaged from the rope 140, the rope 140 is separated from the mechanical energy storage mechanism. When the clamping member 200 is engaged with the rope, the rope 140 is connected to the mechanical energy storage mechanism.

[0133] In some embodiments, the clutch mechanism includes: a base disposed at the other end of the elastic member and at least two clamping members. The at least two clamping members are disposed on the base, each clamping member is configured to rotate about an eccentric third axis and has a friction surface, the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members being disposed opposite each other, the friction surfaces having a first end and a second end that are far apart, the distance between the first end and the third axis being greater than the distance between the second end and the third axis, and an external rope passing between the at least two clamping members. A controller includes a motor connected to the at least two clamping members, the motor being configured to control the rotation of the clamping members about the third axis according to control information, so that the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members clamp or release the rope.

[0134] Figure 6B This is a schematic diagram of the clutch mechanism and controller of a wearable assistant device provided in another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0135] Based on the clutch mechanism 200 provided in this disclosure, combined with Figures 1 to 5 and Figure 6B As shown, the clutch mechanism includes a base 210 and at least two clamping members 220. The at least two clamping members 220 are disposed on the base 210, each clamping member 220 being configured to rotate about an eccentric third axis, for example, the clamping member 220 rotating eccentrically about a shaft structure 221 representing the third axis. Each clamping member 220 has a friction surface 222, and the friction surfaces 222 of the at least two clamping members 220 are arranged opposite each other, the friction surfaces 222 having a first end and a second end that are far apart, the distance between the first end and the axis being greater than the distance between the second end and the axis, and an external rope 140 passing through the at least two clamping members 220. The motor 521 of the control device can be a rotary motor, and the rotary motor shaft 5212 of the motor 521 controls the eccentric rotation of the clamping members 220 about the third axis by connecting to the shaft structure 221. Upon receiving the first control information, the controller can control the rotary motor shaft 5212 to rotate, causing the two clamping members 220 to move closer together at their first ends, thereby clamping the rope 140 with the friction surface 222. Thus, the controller can control the connection between the clutch mechanism and the mechanical energy storage mechanism based on the first control information.

[0136] Accordingly, upon receiving the second control information, the controller can control the rotary motor shaft 5212 to rotate, thereby releasing the rope 140 by moving the two clamping members 220 away from each other through the first end. Thus, the controller can control the separation of the clutch mechanism from the mechanical energy storage mechanism based on the second control information.

[0137] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the friction surface 222 is provided with a toothed structure, which is spaced apart along the extension direction of the friction surface 222 (i.e., from the first end to the second end). Of course, the friction surface 222 can also adopt a grooved structure, a raised structure, a flexible structure, or any other structure suitable for increasing the friction between the clamping member 220 and the rope 140.

[0138] Based on this, the clutch mechanism 200 includes, but is not limited to, having two clamping members 220 arranged in pairs. A portion of the rope 140 passes through the friction surfaces 222 provided by the two clamping members 220. The friction surface 222 can be understood as a continuous or discontinuous non-smooth surface. When the clamping member 220 is in a engaged state where its friction surface 222 holds the rope 140 tightly, it can be understood that the friction surface 222 and the rope 140 are effectively connected through friction. Thus, when the rope 140 moves along its extension direction, the clamping member 220 will drive the clutch mechanism 200 to move synchronously with the rope 140.

[0139] The clamping member 220 includes, but is not limited to, a structure configured in a generally fan-shaped or partially disk-shaped manner and rotatably mounted on the base 210. Specifically, the clamping member 220 rotates about an axis offset from its geometric center, thereby forming an eccentric rotation structure. Further, the clamping member 220 has a friction surface 222 extending radially outward along the axis, the friction surface 222 being generally continuous and including a second end near the axis and a first end located outward and away from the axis. The distance from the first end to the axis is greater than the distance from the second end to the axis, thereby forming an asymmetrical lever arm structure.

[0140] Based on the eccentric design of the clamping member 220, as the clamping member 220 rotates around its axis, the clamping force of its friction surface 222 on the rope 140 changes accordingly. That is, during the tension of the rope 140, the distance between the first ends of the two clamping members 220 gradually decreases, thereby applying a gradually increasing clamping force to the rope 140, ultimately achieving a self-locking effect through frictional torque. When the rope 140 displaces in the opposite direction, the traction direction of the rope 140 is the same as the swing direction of the clamping member 220 towards its second end. Therefore, the distance between the first ends of the two clamping members 220 can be increased, allowing the rope to move along this displacement direction. In other words, this allows the clutch mechanism to connect with the rope 140 only in one direction, while in the opposite direction, it allows the rope 140 to disengage from the clutch mechanism and displace unrestricted.

[0141] It should be noted that the sensors and controllers provided in this embodiment can be powered by any energy supply unit, such as an external power source, solar panel, or chemical storage battery. Since the sensors and controllers can utilize devices with low power consumption, a power supply unit can be provided on the wearable assistive device to power the sensors or controllers, and the weight of the power supply unit will not be excessive, thus avoiding excessive additional burden on the user while wearing the wearable assistive device.

[0142] Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, the above is merely an illustrative description of the structural form and working method of the wearable assistive device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure, and is not intended to limit the specific structural form or working method of the wearable assistive device.

[0143] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to perform the following operations to execute the target task:

[0144] Based on the motion state data corresponding to multiple time points, the exoskeleton is used to detect motion patterns to obtain target motion patterns; and the motion state data corresponding to multiple time points is processed using the control model corresponding to the target motion patterns to obtain first control information or second control information corresponding to each of the multiple specified time points.

[0145] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the first control information is used to control the connection between the clutch mechanism and the rope, and the second control information is used to control the separation between the clutch mechanism and the rope.

[0146] For example, the controller controls the clamping element of the clutch mechanism to clamp the rope according to the first control information, so that the mechanical energy storage mechanism can be connected to the rope and realize the cooperation state between the rope and the mechanical energy storage mechanism.

[0147] For example, the controller controls the clamping element of the clutch mechanism to release the rope according to the second control information, so that the mechanical energy storage mechanism can be separated from the rope, and the rope and the mechanical energy storage mechanism can be disengaged.

[0148] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a target motion mode can represent the type of movement a user wearing the exoskeleton is engaged in at multiple moments. The target motion mode can be, for example, at least one of a running mode, a walking mode, an uphill mode, and a downhill mode.

[0149] In some embodiments, the chip in the controller used to perform computational tasks can be used to detect motion patterns in the exoskeleton based on motion state data corresponding to multiple moments.

[0150] For example, a processor is used to process acceleration data at multiple moments of the first exoskeleton based on a trained neural network model to obtain the target motion pattern as running.

[0151] In some embodiments, multiple control models may correspond to multiple different motion modes. Each control model may be obtained through supervised training based on sample motion state data and motion mode labels corresponding to the motion mode.

[0152] In one example, based on the running motion pattern output by the processor as the target motion pattern, the processor calls a control model that matches the running motion pattern to process the motion state data corresponding to multiple moments and outputs the first control information. The control device controls the motor of the controller corresponding to the first exoskeleton to rotate according to the first control information, so that the two clamping parts of the clutch mechanism grip the rope, thus connecting the rope to the mechanical energy storage mechanism.

[0153] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the control model can be constructed based on an algorithmic model for capturing the semantics of motion state changes at multiple moments. For example, the control model can be constructed based on at least one of the following algorithms: attention network algorithm, long short-term memory network algorithm, and gated recurrent unit algorithm.

[0154] In some embodiments, the controller can process motion state data corresponding to multiple time points by invoking a motion pattern recognition model and output the target motion state. The motion pattern recognition model can be trained using a supervised method; for example, it can be trained in a supervised manner based on sample motion state data with labeled motion patterns. The motion pattern recognition model can be constructed based on any type of neural network algorithm, such as an attention network algorithm.

[0155] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to perform the following operations to obtain control information.

[0156] The target motion state data that matches the target motion pattern is determined from the motion state data corresponding to multiple time points; and the target motion state data is processed using the control model corresponding to the target motion pattern to obtain the first control information or the second control information.

[0157] In some embodiments, determining the target motion state data from motion state data corresponding to multiple time points may include data preprocessing methods such as data cleaning and signal filtering of the multiple motion state data. Alternatively, the target motion state data matching the preset time window may be determined from the motion state data corresponding to multiple time points based on a preset time window. This allows for the use of a control model to process the target motion state data matching the preset time window in situations where the motion mode changes rapidly, in order to obtain first control information or second control information that can adapt to the target motion mode.

[0158] It should be noted that the control information involved in the embodiments of this disclosure, including but not limited to the first control information or the second control information, can be any type of signal such as an electrical signal. For example, the first control information can be represented by a high-level signal, and the second control information can be represented by a low-level signal. Thus, the motor or other control devices can be controlled to perform actions based on either a high-level or low-level signal to control the connection or disconnection of the clutch mechanism from the rope. However, this is not limited to this; it can also be based on...

[0159] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to perform the following operations to obtain control information.

[0160] Using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern, the target acceleration corresponding to multiple target moments in the target time period is fused with temporal features to obtain target fusion features corresponding to the target motion pattern; and based on the target fusion features, the first control information or the second control information corresponding to at least one specified moment is determined.

[0161] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the target time period can be a time period within a series of consecutive moments. By utilizing a control model corresponding to the target motion mode to fuse the target acceleration in the motion state data using temporal features, the acceleration changes of the first and / or second arms of the exoskeleton during the target time period can be captured relatively accurately. Thus, the target fusion features can represent the mode state of the exoskeleton in the target motion mode through the changes in the exoskeleton's motion state and posture during the target time period. The mode state can represent the changes in the user's posture while wearing the exoskeleton in the target motion mode. For example, the mode state can represent the change in the exoskeleton's posture as the user's left leg moves downwards from the highest point of the knee joint. Another example is the change in the mode state as the user's left leg pushes off the ground to generate force.

[0162] Therefore, the target fusion features can be processed based on the control model to understand the changes in the user's motion posture at any specified moment, and to output the first or second control information corresponding to the specified moment. Then, the controller controls the clutch mechanism to connect or disconnect from the cable based on the control information corresponding to multiple specified moments, providing auxiliary power released by the mechanical energy storage mechanism for each stage of motion posture changes during the target motion mode, thereby improving the user's motion efficiency, reducing user fatigue and operational complexity, and enhancing the user experience.

[0163] The following combination Figures 7A to 7D and the above Figure 1 The wearable assistive device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure will be further described in detail with reference to Figure 6.

[0164] Figure 7AThis is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the wearable assistive device provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure in walking mode.

[0165] like Figure 7A The curve shown represents the acceleration change of the exoskeleton when a user wears the wearable assistive device and moves in walking mode. The controller can detect the acceleration at multiple moments using a motion pattern recognition model to obtain the walking mode as the target motion mode. The controller then calls the first control model corresponding to the walking mode to process the acceleration at multiple moments in the curve, obtaining first or second control information for multiple specified moments.

[0166] For example, the first control model can output first control information corresponding to the first walking mode period 711. For at least one specified moment in the first walking mode period 711, the first control information can control the clamping part of the clutch mechanism to lock the rope, so as to connect the rope to the mechanical energy storage mechanism through the clutch mechanism.

[0167] The start time of the first walking period 711 can, for example, represent the moment when the user wearing the exoskeleton moves their left knee from its highest point downwards, and the end time of the first walking period 711 can represent the moment when the user's left knee is extended and the left foot touches the ground. The start time of the second walking period 712 can represent the moment before the user's left knee reaches full extension, and the end time of the second walking period 712 can represent the moment before the user's right foot is lifted.

[0168] The second control information corresponding to at least one specified moment in the second walking period 712 can control the clutch mechanism to separate the clamping member from the rope within the second walking period 712, thereby separating the rope from the mechanical energy storage mechanism. Thus, during or near the walking mode interval t11 between the first walking mode period 711 and the second walking mode period 712, the clutch mechanism and the rope remain engaged, ensuring the mechanical energy storage mechanism remains connected to the rope during the walking mode interval t11. This allows the exoskeleton worn on the user's left leg to utilize the mechanical energy storage mechanism to perform energy storage and release processes during or near the walking mode interval t11. This helps the user's left foot to step forward and exert force, completing the energy storage and release process. During the support of the left leg and the lifting of the right leg for the next step, the clamping member of the clutch mechanism releases the rope, reducing the impact of the mechanical energy storage mechanism on the left leg's posture.

[0169] in, Figure 7AThe first cycle interval T710 in the diagram can represent, for example, the acceleration change cycle of the user's left leg, while the first time region T711 can represent the actual period during which the clutch mechanism and the rope maintain their coordinated state. Thus, during the walking motion by alternating steps with the left and right legs, the clutch mechanisms of the two different exoskeletons can connect or release the ropes based on control information from their respective controllers. This automatically controls the timing of clutch intervention, thereby improving user comfort and reducing fatigue.

[0170] Figure 7B This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the wearable assistive device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure in running mode.

[0171] like Figure 7B The curve shown represents the acceleration change of the exoskeleton when a user wears the wearable assistive device in running mode. The controller can detect the acceleration at multiple moments using a motion pattern recognition model to obtain the running mode as the target motion pattern. The controller then calls a second control model corresponding to the running mode to process the acceleration at multiple moments in the curve, obtaining first or second control information for multiple specified moments.

[0172] For example, the second control model can output first control information corresponding to the first running mode period 721. For at least one specified moment in the first running mode period 721, the first control information can control the clamping part of the clutch mechanism to lock the rope, so as to connect the rope to the mechanical energy storage mechanism through the clutch mechanism.

[0173] The start time of the first running phase 721 could, for example, represent the moment when the user wearing the exoskeleton's left knee joint moves downward from its highest point, and the end time of the first running phase 721 could represent the moment when the user's left knee joint is extended and the left foot touches the ground. The start time of the second running phase 722 could represent the moment before the user's left knee joint reaches a fully extended state, and the end time of the second running phase 722 could represent the moment before the user's right foot is lifted.

[0174] The second control information corresponding to at least one specified moment in the second running period 722 can control the clutch mechanism to separate the clamping member from the rope within the second running period 722, thereby separating the rope from the mechanical energy storage mechanism. Thus, during or near the running mode interval t21 between the first running mode period 721 and the second running mode period 722, the clutch mechanism and the rope remain engaged, ensuring the mechanical energy storage mechanism and the rope remain connected during the running mode interval t21. This allows the exoskeleton worn on the user's left leg to utilize the mechanical energy storage mechanism to perform energy storage and release processes during or near the running mode interval t21. This helps the user's left foot to step forward and exert force, completing the energy storage and release process. During the left leg's exertion and the right leg's lifting and stepping motion, the clutch mechanism's clamping member releases the rope, reducing the mechanical energy storage mechanism's influence on the left leg's posture.

[0175] in, Figure 7B The second period interval T720 in the diagram can represent, for example, the acceleration change period of the user's left leg, while the second time region T721 can represent the actual time period during which the clutch mechanism and the rope maintain their coordinated state. This allows the clutch mechanisms of the two different exoskeletons to connect or release the ropes based on control information from their respective controllers during the running motion, thus automatically controlling the timing of clutch intervention. This improves the user's comfort during running and reduces the impact of the exoskeleton on their running posture.

[0176] Figure 7C This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the wearable assistive device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure in uphill mode.

[0177] like Figure 7C The curve shown represents the acceleration change of the exoskeleton when a user wears a wearable assistive device and moves in an uphill mode. The controller can detect the motion pattern by using a motion pattern recognition model to analyze the acceleration at multiple moments and determine the uphill mode as the target motion pattern. The controller then calls a third control model corresponding to the uphill mode to process the acceleration at multiple moments in the curve, obtaining first or second control information for multiple specified moments.

[0178] For example, the first control model can output first control information corresponding to the first uphill mode period 731. For at least one specified moment in the first uphill mode period 731, the first control information can control the clamping part of the clutch mechanism to lock the rope, so as to connect the rope to the mechanical energy storage mechanism through the clutch mechanism.

[0179] The start time of the first uphill phase 731 can, for example, represent the moment when the user wearing the exoskeleton's left knee joint moves downward from its highest point, and the end time of the first uphill phase 731 can represent the moment when the user's left knee joint is extended and the left foot touches the ground. The start time of the second uphill phase 732 can represent the moment before the user's left knee joint reaches a fully extended state, and the end time of the second uphill phase 732 can represent the moment before the user's right foot is lifted.

[0180] The second control information corresponding to at least one specified moment in the second uphill period 732 can control the clutch mechanism to separate the clamping member from the rope during the second uphill period 732, thereby separating the rope from the mechanical energy storage mechanism. Thus, during or near the uphill mode interval t31 between the first uphill mode period 731 and the second uphill mode period 732, the clutch mechanism and the rope remain engaged, keeping the mechanical energy storage mechanism connected to the rope during the uphill mode interval t31. This allows the exoskeleton worn on the user's left leg to use the mechanical energy storage mechanism to perform energy storage and release processes during or near the uphill mode interval t31. This helps the user's left foot to step forward and exert force, completing the energy storage and release process. During the left leg exertion and the right leg lifting and stepping forward, the clutch mechanism's clamping member releases the rope, reducing the impact of the mechanical energy storage mechanism on the left leg's posture.

[0181] in, Figure 7C The third period interval T730 in the diagram can represent, for example, the acceleration change period of the user's left leg, while the third time region T731 can represent the actual time period during which the clutch mechanism and the rope maintain their coordinated state. This allows the two different exoskeletons, each with its corresponding clutch mechanism, to connect or release the rope based on control information from its respective controller during the uphill movement by alternating steps with the left and right legs. This automated control of the clutch mechanism's intervention timing enhances the user's comfort during the uphill movement and reduces physical exertion.

[0182] Figure 7D This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the wearable assistive device provided in this embodiment of the invention in downhill mode.

[0183] like Figure 7DThe curve shown represents the acceleration change of the exoskeleton when a user wears a wearable assistive device and moves in downhill mode. The controller can detect the motion pattern by using a motion pattern recognition model to determine the downhill mode as the target motion pattern. The controller then calls the fourth control model corresponding to the downhill mode to process the acceleration at multiple moments in the curve, obtaining first or second control information for multiple specified moments.

[0184] For example, the fourth control model can output first control information corresponding to the first downhill mode period 741. For at least one specified moment in the first downhill mode period 741, the first control information can control the clamping part of the clutch mechanism to lock the rope, so as to connect the rope to the mechanical energy storage mechanism through the clutch mechanism.

[0185] The start time of the first downhill phase 741 could, for example, represent the moment when the user wearing the exoskeleton's left knee joint moves downward from its highest point, and the end time of the first downhill phase 741 could represent the moment when the user's left knee joint is extended and the left foot touches the ground. The start time of the second downhill phase 742 could represent the moment before the user's left knee joint reaches a fully extended state, and the end time of the second downhill phase 742 could represent the moment before the user's right foot is lifted.

[0186] The second control information corresponding to at least one specified moment in the second downhill period 742 can control the clutch mechanism to separate the clamping member from the rope during the second downhill period 742, thereby separating the rope from the mechanical energy storage mechanism. Thus, during or near the downhill mode interval t41 between the first downhill mode period 741 and the second downhill mode period 742, the clutch mechanism and the rope remain engaged, keeping the mechanical energy storage mechanism connected to the rope during the downhill mode interval t41. This allows the exoskeleton worn on the user's left leg to use the mechanical energy storage mechanism to perform energy storage and release processes during or near the downhill mode interval t41. This helps the user's left foot to step forward and exert force while the mechanical energy storage mechanism stores and releases energy. During the left leg exertion and the right leg lifts to step forward, the clamping member of the clutch mechanism releases the rope, reducing the impact of the mechanical energy storage mechanism on the left leg's posture.

[0187] in, Figure 7DThe fourth period interval T740 in the diagram can represent, for example, the acceleration change period of the user's left leg, while the fourth time region T741 can represent the actual time period during which the clutch mechanism and the rope maintain their coordinated state. This allows the two different exoskeletons, each with its corresponding clutch mechanism, to connect or release the rope based on control information from its respective controller during a downhill movement by alternating steps with the left and right legs. This automated control of the clutch mechanism's intervention timing enhances the user's comfort during the downhill movement and reduces physical exertion.

[0188] Figure 7E A comparative schematic diagram showing the clutch mechanism in engagement state corresponding to multiple target motion modes is shown.

[0189] Combination Figures 7A to 7E As shown, the multiple target motion modes can be categorized as walking mode, running mode, uphill mode, and downhill mode. The acceleration curves corresponding to each of the walking, running, uphill, and downhill modes are superimposed to obtain an acceleration profile based on... Figure 7E The curves shown are used to represent this. Specifically, during the periods when the clutch mechanism maintains coordination with the rope across multiple target motion modes, it can be based on... Figure 7E Different colored blocks are used to represent the different motion patterns. Based on the geometric shapes of these different colored blocks, the duration for which the clutch mechanism can maintain engagement with the rope under different motion modes can be observed.

[0190] It should be noted that, Figures 7A to 7E The acceleration curves and the specified times corresponding to the first and second control information shown are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to limit the operation of the controller of the wearable assistive device in this embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0191] In some embodiments, a processor for determining control information is disposed on the exoskeleton and communicatively connected to a control device. For example, the processor may be disposed on the first arm of the exoskeleton to reduce the amplitude of the processor and battery swinging with the limbs during movement, thereby reducing the impact of the controller on the movement of the user wearing the exoskeleton.

[0192] In some embodiments, the processor is located in a control terminal that is communicatively connected to the control device. The control terminal can be any terminal device such as a smartphone or smartwatch. The control terminal can receive motion state data at multiple times, execute target tasks based on the motion state data, and output control information corresponding to multiple specified times. This can further reduce the weight of the wearable assistive device, thereby further improving the comfort of the user wearing the wearable assistive device during exercise.

[0193] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a wearable assistive device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0194] like Figure 8 As shown, the controller's control device 520 is mounted on the first arm 110 of the exoskeleton 100, and the controller's processor 510 is located in the control terminal 601, which can be a user-accessible smartphone. The sensor 400 transmits motion state data from multiple moments during the exoskeleton's movement to the processor 510 of the control terminal 601. The processor 510 then uses a pattern recognition model to identify the target motion pattern and uses the corresponding control model to process the multiple motion state data to obtain control information. By sending control information from the control terminal 601 to the control device 520, the control device 520 controls the clutch mechanism to connect or disconnect from the rope.

[0195] Figure 9A A flowchart illustrating the control of a wearable assistive device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0196] like Figure 9A As shown, when a user wears the wearable assistive device provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the wearable assistive device can be controlled based on operations S901 to S907.

[0197] When operating the S901, it is confirmed that the user is wearing a wearable assistive device and has started exercising.

[0198] During operation of S902, the sensor detects the motion state data of the exoskeleton and sends the motion state data corresponding to multiple moments to the controller.

[0199] In operation of S903, the controller uses a motion pattern recognition model to process motion state data corresponding to multiple moments and determine the target motion pattern.

[0200] In operation S904, the controller calls the control model that matches the target motion pattern. The control model processes motion state data at multiple time points to determine whether to output the first control information. If the determination result is negative, operations S901 to S904 are executed repeatedly.

[0201] If the judgment result is yes, operation S905 is executed, which controls the connection between the clutch mechanism and the rope by sending control information to the control device. This enables the mechanical energy storage mechanism to be connected to the rope via the clutch mechanism.

[0202] When operating S906, the clutch mechanism and the rope are kept in a coordinated state during the user's movement, thereby maintaining the connection between the mechanical energy storage mechanism and the rope, and the mechanical energy storage mechanism performs the energy storage and release process.

[0203] In operation S907, the controller sends a second control message to the control device after a delay, based on the second control message detected at a specified time. This initiates the engagement between the clutch mechanism and the cable.

[0204] Figure 9B A flowchart illustrating a training motion pattern recognition model and a control model according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0205] like Figure 9B As shown, when a wearer wears the wearable assistive device provided in this embodiment, the engagement or disengagement state between the clutch mechanism and the rope can be controlled by a mechanical device. The motion pattern recognition model and control model are trained based on operations S911 to S916.

[0206] During operation of S911, sensors detect sample motion state data of the wearer in different motion modes. The wearer can be a user with proficient operation skills of the wearable assistive device, who executes the motion process corresponding to the motion mode. The wearer manually operates the clutch mechanism during the motion to determine the working state of the clutch mechanism as either engaged or disengaged. Simultaneously, sample motion state data corresponding to the engaged or disengaged state of the clutch mechanism during the motion mode are sensed.

[0207] During operation S912, the sample motion state data curves and the working state of the clutch mechanism are recorded. For example, for the walking mode, the acceleration corresponding to multiple sample moments sensed by the sensor during the walking mode can be recorded, as well as the sample moments when the wearer manually adjusts the clutch mechanism to the engaged state and the sample moments when the clutch mechanism is manually adjusted to the disengaged state. Thus, the acceleration corresponding to multiple time-aligned sample moments can be used as sample data, and the multiple engaged or disengaged states can be used as label information representing the first and second control information. Furthermore, sample data and label information corresponding to each target motion mode can be obtained, and this sample data and label information corresponding to the target motion mode can be used as the mode training dataset.

[0208] In operation S913, a training dataset labeled with the working state of the clutch mechanism is obtained. The training dataset may include multiple sample data and the motion patterns corresponding to the multiple sample data as motion pattern labels.

[0209] In operation S914, a motion pattern recognition model is trained using a training dataset. For example, the motion pattern recognition model can be used to process motion state data from multiple sample times in the training dataset to obtain sample motion patterns. Based on a supervised training mechanism, a loss function is used to process the sample motion patterns and motion pattern labels to obtain loss information. The model parameters of the motion pattern recognition model are then adjusted based on the loss information until the training conditions are met, resulting in a trained motion pattern recognition model.

[0210] During operation S915, a pattern training dataset is acquired to label the working states of the clutch mechanism. The pattern training dataset may include associated sample data and label information, where the label information represents the engagement or disengagement state. The sample data consists of motion state data time-aligned with the label information.

[0211] In operating the S916, a control model matching the target motion pattern is used to process sample data, outputting sample control information corresponding to multiple specified time points. The sample control information at specified time points is transformed into sample predicted values ​​representing the working state, and the label value representing the working state is determined using the coordinated or discoordinated state aligned with the specified time point. A loss function is then used to process the sample predicted values ​​and label values ​​to obtain loss information. This loss information is then used to train the control model until the training conditions are met, resulting in a trained control model.

[0212] In some embodiments, the control information includes a plurality of first control information or second control information corresponding to a specified time, wherein the first control information indicates that the clutch mechanism is connected to the rope, and the second control information indicates that the clutch mechanism is separated from the rope.

[0213] In some embodiments, when the clutch mechanism is connected to the rope, the controller is configured to control the clutch mechanism to be connected to the rope in response to receiving second control information corresponding to a first specified time, based on the first control information received within a specified delay period.

[0214] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the specified delay duration is longer than the interval between two adjacent specified moments among a plurality of specified moments. For example, at a first specified moment s1, the controller's processor determines second control information, and the specified delay duration is the time interval between the first specified moment s1 and the third specified moment s3. At a second specified moment s2 or a third specified moment s3 within the specified delay duration, the controller executes a target task to determine the first control information corresponding to the second specified moment s2 or the third specified moment s3. Thus, based on the first control information received within the specified delay duration, the controller does not control the clutch mechanism to separate from the rope according to the second control information corresponding to the first specified moment s1, so as to continuously maintain the connection between the mechanical energy storage mechanism and the rope through the clutch mechanism, avoiding frequent adjustments to the clutch mechanism that would cause frequent changes in the force exertion conditions during the user's wearing of the exoskeleton, thereby improving the user's force exertion stability during the wearing of the exoskeleton and enhancing the user experience.

[0215] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the clutch mechanism is connected to the rope, the controller is configured to, in response to receiving second control information corresponding to a first specified time, control the clutch mechanism to separate from the rope at a specified trigger time based on at least one second control information received within a specified delay period.

[0216] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the interval between the first specified time and the specified trigger time is a specified delay duration. For example, at the first specified time s1, the controller's processor determines the second control information. The controller determines the second control information corresponding to the second specified time s2 by executing the target task. This allows the controller to determine, based on the second control information corresponding to adjacent specified times, that the exoskeleton needs to separate the clutch mechanism from the rope during its movement in the target motion mode. Thus, by using the second specified time s2 as the specified start time and the second specified time s2 as the specified trigger time, the controller can control the control device to separate the clutch mechanism from the rope according to the second control information. This allows the controller to delay the engagement and disengagement of the clutch mechanism, avoiding frequent changes in the separation and connection modes of the mechanical energy storage mechanism and the rope, thereby improving the working stability of the wearable assistive device and enabling users to maintain a stable force application mode and posture under diverse motion conditions, thus enhancing the user experience.

[0217] In some embodiments, when the clutch mechanism is connected to the rope, the controller is configured to detect abnormal motion patterns based on motion state data, obtain abnormal mode control information corresponding to the abnormal motion pattern, and control the clutch mechanism to separate from the rope based on the abnormal mode control information.

[0218] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a motion pattern recognition model can also be trained to determine abnormal motion patterns by processing motion state data streams sensed by sensors. This allows the controller to control the clutch mechanism to separate from the rope based on the identified abnormal motion patterns, preventing the exoskeleton from interfering with or injuring the user's posture in the event of an accidental slip or violent shaking. This improves the controller's control accuracy over the exoskeleton and enhances the reliability and safety of user use.

[0219] Based on the wearable assistive device provided in the above embodiments, the present disclosure also provides a method for controlling the wearable assistive device.

[0220] Figure 10 A flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a wearable assistive device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0221] like Figure 10 As shown, the method for controlling the wearable assistive device can be executed by a controller that is communicatively connected to the sensors. The method includes operations S1010 and S1020.

[0222] In operation S1010, control information is obtained by executing the target task based on the motion state data.

[0223] In operation S1020, the clutch mechanism is controlled to separate or connect with the rope according to the control information.

[0224] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a wearable assistive device includes an exoskeleton, sensors, and a controller. The exoskeleton includes a first arm and a second arm, ropes, a mechanical energy storage mechanism, sensors, and a controller. A method for controlling the wearable assistive device is applied to the controller. For example, operation S1010 can be executed based on the controller's processor, and operation S1020 can be executed by the controller's control device.

[0225] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second arm is configured to swing relative to the first arm to have a first posture and a second posture. When the second arm is in the first posture, the two ends of the first arm and the second arm that are far apart have a first distance. When the arm is in the second posture, the two ends of the first arm and the second arm that are far apart have a second distance. The second distance is smaller than the first distance.

[0226] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, a rope of a fixed length is threaded through the first arm and the second arm.

[0227] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the mechanical energy storage mechanism is separated from or connected to the rope via a clutch mechanism. When the mechanical energy storage mechanism is connected to the rope, it stores energy during the transition from the first posture to the second posture of the second arm and releases energy during the transition from the second posture to the first posture of the second arm.

[0228] According to embodiments of this disclosure, sensors are disposed on the exoskeleton and configured to sense motion state data of the exoskeleton.

[0229] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the controller is connected to the sensor for communication. The controller is used to obtain control information by performing a target task based on motion state data, and to control the clutch mechanism to separate or connect with the rope based on the control information.

[0230] According to embodiments of this disclosure, obtaining control information by performing a target task based on motion state data includes: performing motion pattern detection on the exoskeleton based on motion state data corresponding to multiple time points to obtain a target motion pattern; and processing the motion state data corresponding to multiple time points using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern to obtain first control information or second control information corresponding to each of the multiple specified time points.

[0231] The first control information is used to control the connection between the clutch mechanism and the rope, and the second control information is used to control the separation between the clutch mechanism and the rope.

[0232] According to embodiments of this disclosure, processing motion state data corresponding to multiple time points using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern includes: determining target motion state data matching the target motion pattern from the motion state data corresponding to multiple time points; and processing the target motion state data using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern to obtain first control information or second control information.

[0233] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the target motion state data is processed using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern, including: using the control model corresponding to the target motion pattern to perform temporal feature fusion on the target acceleration corresponding to multiple target moments in the target time period to obtain target fusion features corresponding to the target motion pattern, wherein the target fusion features characterize the mode state of the exoskeleton in the target motion pattern; and determining first control information or second control information corresponding to at least one specified moment based on the target fusion features.

[0234] It should be noted that the method for controlling a wearable assistive device provided in this disclosure can be applied to the wearable assistive device provided in this disclosure. The technical terms involved in the method for controlling a wearable assistive device provided in this disclosure, including but not limited to clutch mechanism, rope, and motion state data, have the same or similar meanings as the technical terms involved in the wearable assistive device provided in this disclosure, and will not be repeated here.

[0235] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions. Those skilled in the art will understand that the features described in the various embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined and / or combined in various ways, even if such combinations are not explicitly described in the present disclosure. In particular, the features described in the various embodiments of this disclosure may be combined and / or combined in various ways without departing from the spirit and teachings of this disclosure. All such combinations and / or combinations fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0236] The embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. However, these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Although various embodiments have been described above, this does not mean that the measures in the various embodiments cannot be used advantageously in combination. Various substitutions and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this disclosure, and all such substitutions and modifications should fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A wearable assistive device, characterized by, The wearable power-assisted device comprises: an exoskeleton comprising: a first arm portion and a second arm portion configured to swing relative to the first arm portion to have a first posture and a second posture, the first arm portion and the second arm portion having a first distance between their distal ends when the second arm portion is in the first posture, and the first arm portion and the second arm portion having a second distance between their distal ends when the second arm portion is in the second posture, the second distance being smaller than the first distance; a rope fixedly arranged in the first arm portion and the second arm portion; a mechanical energy storage mechanism connected to or disconnected from the rope by a clutch mechanism, the mechanical energy storage mechanism being charged during the transition of the second arm portion from the first posture to the second posture and being discharged during the transition of the second arm portion from the second posture to the first posture when the mechanical energy storage mechanism is connected to the rope; a sensor arranged on the exoskeleton and configured to sense motion state data of the exoskeleton; and a controller communicatively connected to the sensor and configured to obtain control information by executing a target task according to the motion state data, and to control the clutch mechanism to be connected to or disconnected from the rope according to the control information.

2. The wearable assist device of claim 1, wherein, The controller is configured to perform the following operations to execute the target task: performing motion pattern detection on the exoskeleton according to the motion state data corresponding to a plurality of time points to obtain a target motion pattern; and processing the motion state data corresponding to a plurality of time points by using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern to obtain first control information or second control information corresponding to a plurality of specified time points respectively, the first control information being used to control the clutch mechanism to be connected to the rope, and the second control information being used to control the clutch mechanism to be disconnected from the rope.

3. The wearable assist device of claim 2, wherein, The controller is configured to perform the following operations to obtain the control information: determining target motion state data matching the target motion pattern from the motion state data corresponding to a plurality of time points; and processing the target motion state data by using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern to obtain the first control information or the second control information. The controller is configured to perform the following operations to obtain the control information:

4. The wearable assist device of claim 3, wherein, performing time sequence feature fusion on target accelerations corresponding to a plurality of target time points in a target time period by using a control model corresponding to the target motion pattern to obtain a target fusion feature corresponding to the target motion pattern, the target fusion feature representing a pattern state of the exoskeleton in the target motion pattern; and determining first control information or second control information corresponding to at least one specified time point according to the target fusion feature.

5. The wearable power-assisted device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical energy storage mechanism comprises an elastic member, one end of the elastic member being connected to the first arm portion, the other end of the elastic member being arranged with the clutch mechanism, the elastic member being configured to be deformed along with the displacement of the rope in a first direction to provide a pulling force in a second direction opposite to the first direction to the rope. ​ ​ Wherein, when the second arm is in the first posture, the elastic member is in an original state, and when the second arm is in the second posture, the elastic member is in a deformed state, so as to provide resistance in the opposite direction of the swinging direction during the transition of the second arm from the first posture to the second posture, and to provide an auxiliary pushing force during the transition of the second arm from the second posture to the first posture.

6. The wearable assist device of claim 5, wherein, The clutching mechanism comprises: a base body arranged at the other end of the elastic member; at least two clamping members arranged at the base body, the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members being oppositely arranged, and the rope being threaded between the at least two clamping members; the controller comprises: a motor connected to the at least two clamping members, the motor being configured to control the respective friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members to approach or move away according to the control information, so that the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members clamp or release the rope.

7. The wearable assist device of claim 5, wherein, The clutching mechanism comprises: a base body arranged at the other end of the elastic member; at least two clamping members arranged at the base body, each of the clamping members being configured to rotate around an eccentric third axis and having a friction surface, the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members being oppositely arranged, the friction surfaces having first and second ends moving away from each other, the distance between the first end and the third axis being greater than the distance between the second end and the third axis, and an external rope being threaded between the at least two clamping members; the controller comprises: a motor connected to the at least two clamping members, the motor being configured to control the rotation of the clamping members around the third axis according to the control information, so that the friction surfaces of the at least two clamping members clamp or release the rope.

8. The wearable assist device of claim 1, wherein, The controller comprises: a processor configured to obtain the control information by performing a target task according to the motion state data; a control device connected to the clutching mechanism and configured to receive the control information and control the clutching mechanism to separate from or connect to the rope according to the control information.

9. The wearable assistance device according to claim 8, wherein: the processor is arranged at the exoskeleton and is in communication connection with the control device; or the processor is arranged at a control terminal in communication connection with the control device.

10. The wearable assist device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The control information comprises a plurality of first control information or second control information corresponding to respective specified time points, the first control information indicating control of the clutching mechanism to connect to the rope, and the second control information indicating control of the clutching mechanism to separate from the rope; In the case where the clutching mechanism is connected to the rope, the controller is configured to, in response to receiving the second control information corresponding to the first specified time point, control the clutching mechanism to be in the connected state with the rope according to the first control information received in a specified delay time period, the specified delay time period being greater than the interval time period between two adjacent specified time points in the plurality of specified time points.

11. The wearable assist device of claim 10, wherein, In a case that the clutch mechanism is connected with the rope, the controller is configured to, in response to receiving second control information corresponding to a first specified time, control the clutch mechanism to be disconnected with the rope at a specified triggering time according to at least one second control information received in a specified delay time length, wherein an interval time length between the first specified time and the specified triggering time is the specified delay time length.

12. The wearable assist device of claim 1, wherein, In a case that the clutch mechanism is connected with the rope, the controller is configured to perform abnormal motion mode detection according to the motion state data, obtain abnormal mode control information corresponding to the abnormal motion mode, and control the clutch mechanism to be disconnected with the rope according to the abnormal mode control information.

13. The wearable assist device of claim 1, wherein, The motion state data comprises at least one of: speed data, acceleration data, and altitude data.

14. A method of controlling a wearable assistive device, the method comprising: The wearable assisting device comprises an exoskeleton, a sensor, and a controller, the exoskeleton comprises a first arm part and a second arm part, a rope, a mechanical energy storage mechanism, a sensor, and a controller, and the method is applied to the controller. The second arm part is configured to swing relative to the first arm part to have a first posture and a second posture, when the second arm part is in the first posture, two ends of the first arm part and the second arm part away from each other have a first interval, and when the arm part is in the second posture, two ends of the first arm part and the second arm part away from each other have a second interval, the second interval being smaller than the first interval. The rope is arranged in the first arm part and the second arm part in a fixed length. The mechanical energy storage mechanism is disconnected or connected with the rope through a clutch mechanism, in a state that the mechanical energy storage mechanism is connected with the rope, the mechanical energy storage mechanism stores energy during a transition of the second arm part from the first posture to the second posture, and releases energy during a transition of the second arm part from the second posture to the first posture. The sensor is arranged on the exoskeleton, and the sensor is configured to sense motion state data of the exoskeleton. The controller is in communication connection with the sensor, and the controller is configured to obtain control information by executing a target task according to the motion state data, and control the clutch mechanism to be disconnected or connected with the rope according to the control information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, The obtaining of the control information by executing the target task according to the motion state data comprises: performing motion mode detection on the exoskeleton according to motion state data corresponding to a plurality of times to obtain a target motion mode; and processing the motion state data corresponding to the plurality of times by using a control model corresponding to the target motion mode to obtain first control information or second control information corresponding to a plurality of specified times respectively, the first control information being used to control the clutch mechanism to be connected with the rope, and the second control information being used to control the clutch mechanism to be disconnected with the rope.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, The processing of the motion state data corresponding to the plurality of times by using the control model corresponding to the target motion mode comprises: determining target motion state data matched with the target motion mode from the motion state data corresponding to the plurality of times; and processing the target motion state data by using a control model corresponding to the target motion mode to obtain the first control information or the second control information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, The processing the target motion state data by using a control model corresponding to the target motion mode comprises: performing time sequence feature fusion on target accelerations corresponding to a plurality of target time instants in a target period by using a control model corresponding to the target motion mode to obtain a target fusion feature corresponding to the target motion mode, the target fusion feature representing a mode state of the exoskeleton in the target motion mode; and determining first control information or second control information corresponding to at least one specified time instant according to the target fusion feature.

Images