Lower limb exoskeleton robot and auxiliary system for assisting travel of blind person

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of robots, in particular to a lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting a blind person in going out and an assisting system. The robot comprises a back assembly, a driving assembly, a waist fixing assembly, a leg binding assembly, a leg lifting driving unit and a rotating driving unit. The driving assembly drives the leg lifting driving unit to bend in the sagittal plane of the human body through the first transmission assembly, and front-back swinging of the thighs is achieved. The driving assembly drives the rotation driving unit to rotate in the horizontal plane through the second transmission assembly, and internal and external rotation of the thighs is achieved. The leg lifting driving unit is formed by hinging and connecting a plurality of flexible joint monomers with lateral elasticity in series, so that single-degree-of-freedom bending of a sagittal plane is ensured; the rotation driving unit is of an arc-shaped guide rail and sliding block structure. A main driver is arranged on the back, the load of legs is relieved, and walking and flexible obstacle avoidance can be assisted at the same time; the system can be combined with environment sensing equipment to realize intelligent navigation, so that the autonomy and the safety of blind people going out are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a lower limb exoskeleton robot and assistive system for assisting blind people with their travel. Background Technology

[0002] Existing lower limb exoskeletons primarily focus on providing walking assistance in the sagittal plane, the forward and backward swinging plane in the direction of travel. Their joint designs are typically rigid linkage structures with limited degrees of freedom. However, for blind people, simply providing sagittal plane stepping assistance is insufficient. Blind individuals often require coordination of internal and external rotation of the thigh in the horizontal plane when avoiding obstacles, turning, or traversing narrow or uneven surfaces to achieve more flexible and precise gait adjustments. Existing exoskeletons lack effective assistance for this degree of freedom or employ complex and bulky multi-degree-of-freedom hip joints, resulting in heavy systems with complex control, unsuitable for the lightweight, flexible, and long-term wear requirements of blind individuals. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to solve at least one of the technical problems mentioned above.

[0004] The solution to the technical problem of this invention is: a lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people in their travel, comprising a back assembly for wearing on the back of a person; a drive assembly disposed on the back assembly, the drive assembly including two first drive devices and two second drive devices; a waist fixation assembly fixedly connected to the bottom end of the back assembly for fixing to the user's torso; two leg restraint assemblies for fixing to the user's legs; two leg lifting drive units respectively located on the left and right sides of the waist fixation assembly, the top end of each leg lifting drive unit being fixedly connected to the side of the waist fixation assembly; and two rotation drive units respectively located on the two leg lifting drive units. Below the unit, the fixed end of each rotation drive unit is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the corresponding leg-lifting drive unit, and the drive end of each rotation drive unit is fixedly connected to the corresponding leg binding assembly; a first transmission assembly is connected between the two first drive devices and the two leg-lifting drive units, and is used to pull the leg-lifting drive unit to bend and deform in the sagittal plane of the human body under the drive of the first drive device; a second transmission assembly is connected between the two second drive devices and the two rotation drive units, and is used to pull the drive end of the rotation drive unit to rotate relative to the fixed end in the horizontal plane under the drive of the second drive device.

[0005] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the leg-lifting drive unit includes a top joint, multiple flexible joint units, and a bottom joint arranged sequentially in a vertical direction; the top end of the top joint is provided with a first hinge portion fixedly connected to the waist fixing component, and the bottom end of the top joint is provided with a first hinge portion; each flexible joint unit is provided with a second hinge portion at its top end and a third hinge portion at its bottom end; the first hinge portion is hinged to the adjacent second hinge portion, the third hinge portion of two adjacent flexible joint units is hinged to the second hinge portion, and the top end of the bottom joint is provided with a fourth hinge portion, which is hinged to the third hinge portion of the lowest flexible joint unit.

[0006] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the first driving device is a first motor, and its output shaft is provided with a first pulley. The first transmission assembly includes two first steel wire ropes and two first conduits. The two first steel wire ropes are respectively passed through the two first conduits. One end of the two first conduits is fixed to the back assembly, and the other end of the two first conduits is respectively fixed to both ends of the top joint. One end of the two first steel wire ropes passes through the two ends of the top joint and the multiple flexible joint units in sequence and is anchored to the two ends of the bottom joint. The other end of the two first steel wire ropes is respectively fixed to the two first pulleys.

[0007] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the flexible joint unit includes a first connecting portion, a second connecting portion, and a first lateral extension portion, a second lateral extension portion, and a third lateral extension portion that are sequentially spaced along the vertical direction; one side edge of the first lateral extension portion is connected to the same side edge of the second lateral extension portion through the first connecting portion, and the opposite side edge of the second lateral extension portion is connected to the same side edge of the third lateral extension portion through the second connecting portion; thereby forming an S-shaped or Z-shaped structure in cross-section, the second hinge portion is disposed on the side surface of the first lateral extension portion opposite to the second lateral extension portion; the third hinge portion is disposed on the side surface of the third lateral extension portion opposite to the second lateral extension portion.

[0008] The first and second connecting parts are made of elastic material or constructed as elastic thin-walled structures to elastically deform when subjected to lateral external forces perpendicular to the sagittal plane. Based on a rigid hinge, the single unit possesses inherent structural flexibility; its forward and backward swinging is primarily driven by the rotation of the hinge axis. When the thigh generates lateral force, the cantilever beam characteristics of the S-shaped structure and the elastic wall undergo slight elastic deformation, absorbing lateral errors. This achieves a combination of rigid drive for main motion and passive lateral compliance, improving the wearer's fault tolerance and safety, and avoiding hard impacts.

[0009] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the rotation drive unit includes an arc-shaped guide rail and an arc-shaped slider. The arc-shaped guide rail serves as the fixed end and is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the leg-lifting drive unit on the corresponding side. The arc-shaped slider serves as the drive end and is fixedly connected to the leg binding assembly on the corresponding side. The arc-shaped slider is slidably disposed on the arc-shaped guide rail.

[0010] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the second driving device is a second motor, and its output shaft is provided with a second rope pulley. The second transmission assembly includes two second steel wire ropes and two second conduits. The two second steel wire ropes are respectively passed through the two second conduits. One end of the two second conduits is fixed to the back assembly, and the other end of the two second conduits is respectively fixed to both ends of the arc-shaped guide rail. One end of the two second steel wire ropes passes through both ends of the arc-shaped guide rail and is anchored to both ends of the arc-shaped slider. The other ends of the two second steel wire ropes are respectively fixed to the two second rope pulleys.

[0011] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the waist fixation component includes a back waist support and a flexible waist belt. The back waist support has an arc-shaped plate structure for fitting against the lower back of the human body. The lower end of the back component is fixed to the upper edge of the back waist support. The flexible waist belt is connected to both sides of the back waist support. The upper end of the leg lifting drive unit is fixedly installed to the lower side edge of the back waist support by bolts or buckles.

[0012] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the leg binding assembly includes a connecting plate and a flexible strap. The connecting plate is fixedly connected to the drive end of the rotation drive unit; the flexible strap is connected to the connecting plate and is used to wrap around and fix the human thigh.

[0013] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the drive component further includes a main controller and a motor driver; the main controller is used to receive external navigation commands and generate control signals, and the motor driver is used to drive the corresponding first drive device and second drive device according to the control signals.

[0014] A travel assistance system for the blind includes: a wearable sensing device for sensing the environment and the user's status; and a lower limb exoskeleton robot for travel assistance for the blind as described in any of the preceding claims; the drive component is signal-connected to the wearable sensing device.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: the back assembly carries the drive assembly, is worn on the back of the body, and is fixed by shoulder straps and a waist belt, providing a stable mounting base for the overall device while distributing the weight of the device and improving wearing comfort; the drive assembly provides power for the leg lifting drive and the self-rotation drive, and achieves precise control of joint movement through the first drive device and the second drive device; the waist fixing assembly transmits the power of the drive assembly and provides an installation reference for the leg lifting drive unit; the leg binding assembly transmits the rotational power of the rotation drive unit and the swinging power of the leg lifting drive unit; under the traction of the first transmission assembly, the leg lifting drive unit bends and deforms in the sagittal plane, driving the thigh to swing back and forth, providing sagittal plane assistance for blind people's walking; under the traction of the second transmission assembly, the rotation drive unit drives the leg binding assembly to rotate, achieving assistance in the internal and external rotation of the thigh, meeting the needs of obstacle avoidance and turning. By coordinating the leg-lifting drive unit and the rotation drive unit, dual-degree-of-freedom assistance is achieved for the thigh's forward and backward swinging and inward and outward rotation, which can more effectively assist complex movements such as obstacle avoidance and turning. The back-centralized drive places the main driving weight on the torso, reducing the load on the legs and improving wearing flexibility and comfort. The transmission components replace the traditional rigid linkage structure, reducing the overall weight, making it suitable for long-term wear and meeting the daily long-distance travel needs of blind people. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of a lower limb exoskeleton robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of a lower limb exoskeleton robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the leg-lifting drive unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a flexible joint unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rotation drive unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Reference numerals in the attached figures: 100-back assembly, 200-drive assembly, 300-lumbar fixation assembly, 310-lower back support, 320-flexible waist belt, 400-leg binding assembly, 500-leg lifting drive unit, 510-top joint, 511-first hinge, 520-flexible joint unit, 521-second hinge, 522-third hinge, 523-first connecting part, 524-second connecting part, 525-first lateral extension, 526-second lateral extension, 527-third lateral extension, 530-bottom joint, 531-fourth hinge, 600-rotation drive unit, 610-arc guide rail, 620-arc slider, 700-first transmission assembly, 710-first steel wire rope, 720-first conduit, 800-second transmission assembly, 810-second steel wire rope, 820-second conduit. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments have been briefly explained above. Obviously, the described drawings are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Those skilled in the art can obtain other design schemes and drawings based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] The following will clearly and completely describe the concept, specific structure, and technical effects of the present invention in conjunction with embodiments and accompanying drawings, so as to fully understand the purpose, features, and effects of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are all within the scope of protection of the present invention. Furthermore, all connections / linkages mentioned herein do not simply refer to direct connection of components, but rather to the ability to form a better connection structure by adding or reducing connecting accessories according to specific implementation conditions. The various technical features in this invention can be combined interactively without contradicting each other.

[0024] Existing lower limb exoskeletons primarily focus on providing walking assistance in the sagittal plane, the forward and backward swinging plane in the direction of travel. Their joint designs are typically rigid linkage structures with limited degrees of freedom. However, for blind people, simply providing sagittal plane stepping assistance is insufficient. Blind individuals often require coordination of internal and external rotation of the thigh in the horizontal plane when avoiding obstacles, turning, or traversing narrow or uneven surfaces to achieve more flexible and precise gait adjustments. Existing exoskeletons lack effective assistance for this degree of freedom or employ complex and bulky multi-degree-of-freedom hip joints, resulting in heavy systems with complex control, unsuitable for the lightweight, flexible, and long-term wear requirements of blind individuals.

[0025] Therefore, this invention proposes a lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people with mobility, referring to... Figures 1-2 It includes a back assembly 100 for wearing on the back of a person; a drive assembly 200 disposed on the back assembly 100, the drive assembly 200 including two first drive devices and two second drive devices; a waist fixation assembly 300 fixedly connected to the bottom end of the back assembly 100 for fixing to the user's torso; two leg binding assemblies 400 for fixing to the user's legs; two leg lifting drive units 500 respectively located on the left and right sides of the waist fixation assembly 300, the top of each leg lifting drive unit 500 fixedly connected to the side of the waist fixation assembly 300; and two rotation drive units 600 respectively located below the two leg lifting drive units 500. The fixed end of unit 600 is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the leg-lifting drive unit 500 on the corresponding side, and the drive end of each rotation drive unit 600 is fixedly connected to the leg binding assembly 400 on the corresponding side; the first transmission assembly 700 is connected between the two first drive devices and the two leg-lifting drive units 500, and is used to pull the leg-lifting drive unit 500 to bend and deform in the sagittal plane of the human body under the drive of the first drive device; the second transmission assembly 800 is connected between the two second drive devices and the two rotation drive units 600, and is used to pull the drive end of the rotation drive unit 600 to rotate relative to the fixed end in the horizontal plane under the drive of the second drive device.

[0026] The back assembly 100 supports the drive assembly 200, is worn on the back of the body, and is fixed by shoulder straps and a waist belt, providing a stable mounting base for the overall device while distributing the weight of the device and improving wearing comfort. The drive assembly 200 provides power for the leg lifting drive and the rotation drive, and achieves precise control of joint movement through the first drive device and the second drive device. The waist fixation assembly 300 transmits the power of the drive assembly 200 and provides an installation reference for the leg lifting drive unit 500. The leg binding assembly 400 transmits the rotational power of the rotation drive unit 600 and the swinging power of the leg lifting drive unit 500. Under the traction of the first transmission assembly 700, the leg lifting drive unit 500 bends and deforms in the sagittal plane, driving the thigh to swing back and forth, providing sagittal plane assistance for blind people's walking. Under the traction of the second transmission assembly 800, the rotation drive unit 600 drives the leg binding assembly 400 to rotate, realizing the assistance of thigh internal and external rotation, meeting the needs of obstacle avoidance and turning. Through the collaboration of the leg-lifting drive unit 500 and the rotation drive unit 600, dual-degree-of-freedom assistance is achieved for the thigh's forward and backward swing and inward and outward rotation, which can more effectively assist complex movements such as obstacle avoidance and turning; the back-centralized drive places the main driving weight on the torso, reducing the load on the legs and improving wearing flexibility and comfort; the transmission component replaces the traditional rigid linkage structure, reducing the overall weight, making it suitable for long-term wear and meeting the daily long-distance travel needs of blind people.

[0027] When the walking mode is activated, the first transmission component 700 pulls the elastic hinge of the leg lifting drive unit 500 to bend, driving the thigh to swing forward; after the step is completed, the first drive device releases the first transmission component 700, the elastic hinge returns to its original position, and the thigh swings backward, thus providing walking assistance. When a blind person detects an obstacle using a cane or an external environmental sensing module, the second transmission component 800 pulls the drive end of the rotation drive unit 600, causing the thigh to rotate inward by 5-10° to avoid the obstacle. After passing the obstacle, the second drive device releases the second transmission component 800, and the thigh returns to its original position. When turning, the second drive device on one side pulls the second transmission component 800, driving the thigh on that side to rotate outward by 10-15°, which, combined with a small swing of the thigh on the other side, enables turning. When passing through narrow surfaces, the rotation drive units 600 on both sides are controlled to slightly rotate both legs inward by 5-8° each, reducing the stride width and allowing for a smooth passage. When passing through uneven surfaces, the leg lifting drive unit 500 and the rotation drive unit 600 work together to adjust the thigh swing angle and rotation angle, maintaining a stable center of gravity and avoiding imbalance.

[0028] Traditional rigid linkage exoskeletons have stiff joints, making human-machine alignment difficult; single rigid bearings cannot adapt to the complex, flexible movements of the human body. Therefore, in one implementation, referring to... Figure 3The leg-lifting drive unit 500 includes a top joint 510, multiple flexible joint units 520, and a bottom joint 530 arranged sequentially in a vertical direction. The top joint 510 has a first hinge portion 511 at its top end, which is fixedly connected to the waist fixing assembly 300, and the bottom end of the top joint 510 also has a first hinge portion 511. Each flexible joint unit 520 has a second hinge portion 521 at its top end and a third hinge portion 522 at its bottom end. The first hinge portion 511 is hinged to the adjacent second hinge portion 521, and the third hinge portion 522 of two adjacent flexible joint units 520 is hinged to the second hinge portion 521. The bottom joint 530 has a fourth hinge portion 531 at its top end, and the fourth hinge portion 531 is hinged to the third hinge portion 522 of the lowest flexible joint unit 520. The rotation axes of the first hinge portion 511 to the fourth hinge portion 531 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the human body, thus constituting the bending degree of freedom of the leg-lifting drive unit 500 in the sagittal plane. A multi-joint continuum structure composed of multiple units connected in series is used as the leg-lifting drive unit 500. The individual units are hinged together, restricting their rotation to an axis perpendicular to the sagittal plane. When subjected to tension, the multiple units generate a cumulative rotation angle, causing the entire mechanism to exhibit a bending shape. Through multi-joint discretized bending, the swing trajectory of the human thigh is fitted, resulting in better biocompatibility and a more compact structure compared to a single-hinge structure.

[0029] The first transmission component 700 may experience deviation and swaying during traction, resulting in insufficient gait adjustment precision. Therefore, in one embodiment, the first drive device is a first motor with a first pulley on its output shaft. The first transmission component 700 includes two first steel wire ropes 710 and two first conduits 720. The two first steel wire ropes 710 are respectively threaded through the two first conduits 720. One end of each of the two first conduits 720 is fixed to the back component 100, and the other end is respectively fixed to both ends of the top joint 510. One end of each of the two first steel wire ropes 710 passes sequentially through both ends of the top joint 510 and the multiple flexible joint units 520 and is anchored to both ends of the bottom joint 530. The other ends of each of the two first steel wire ropes 710 are respectively fixed to two first pulleys. The Bowden wire drive system employs a flexible conduit where the steel wire rope moves within a conduit. When the motor tightens the wire rope, it shortens. Because the conduit is incompressible, the tension acts on the bottom joint 530, forcing the intermediate flexible joint units 520 to rotate around the hinge point and move closer together, causing the overall structure to bend towards the stressed side. This achieves long-distance, flexible power transmission with flexible layout; the conduit ensures the wire rope path is unaffected by changes in human posture, resulting in high transmission accuracy.

[0030] During walking, the legs inevitably sway laterally, and rigid hinges can cause them to jam or compress the body. Therefore, in one embodiment, referring to... Figure 4 The flexible joint unit 520 includes a first connecting portion 523, a second connecting portion 524, and a first lateral extension portion 525, a second lateral extension portion 526, and a third lateral extension portion 527, which are sequentially spaced along the vertical direction. One side edge of the first lateral extension portion 525 is connected to the same side edge of the second lateral extension portion 526 via the first connecting portion 523, and the opposite side edge of the second lateral extension portion 526 is connected to the same side edge of the third lateral extension portion 527 via the second connecting portion 524, thereby forming an S-shaped or Z-shaped structure in cross-section. The second hinge portion 521 is disposed on the side surface of the first lateral extension portion 525 facing away from the second lateral extension portion 526; the third hinge portion 522 is disposed on the side surface of the third lateral extension portion 527 facing away from the second lateral extension portion 526. The first connecting portion 523 and the second connecting portion 524 are made of elastic material or constructed as an elastic thin-walled structure for elastic deformation when subjected to a lateral external force perpendicular to the sagittal plane. Based on rigid hinges, the single unit is given structural flexibility. The back-and-forth swing is mainly achieved by the rotation of the hinge axis. When the thigh generates lateral force, the cantilever beam characteristics of the S-shaped structure and the elastic wall undergo slight elastic deformation to absorb lateral errors. This achieves a combination of rigid drive for main motion and passive compliance for lateral movement, improving the fault tolerance and safety of the wearer and avoiding hard impacts.

[0031] If the rotation drive unit 600 uses a gear meshing or universal joint structure, the rotation trajectory may not coincide with the axis of natural thigh rotation, potentially causing additional torque during rotation, increasing the muscle burden on the blind person, and affecting obstacle avoidance and steering flexibility. Therefore, in one embodiment, referring to... Figure 5 The rotation drive unit 600 includes an arc-shaped guide rail 610 and an arc-shaped slider 620. The arc-shaped guide rail 610 serves as the fixed end and is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the leg-lifting drive unit 500 on the corresponding side. The arc-shaped slider 620 serves as the drive end and is fixedly connected to the leg binding assembly 400 on the corresponding side. The arc-shaped slider 620 is slidably disposed on the arc-shaped guide rail 610. The center of the arc-shaped guide rail 610 is located on the axis of the user's thigh. An arc-shaped guide rail mechanism is used to realize a virtual rotation center. The arc-shaped slider 620 is restricted to sliding on the guide rail. The center of the arc of the guide rail is designed to fall inside the user's thigh. When the slider slides, it drives the leg binding to rotate around this center. Rotational drive around the human skeletal axis is achieved without intruding into the body. The structure is flat and does not interfere with leg movement.

[0032] When the second transmission component 800 is pulled, it may deviate or twist, causing the arc-shaped slider 620 to deviate from the preset arc along the sliding trajectory of the arc-shaped guide rail 610. Therefore, in one embodiment, the second driving device is a second motor, and its output shaft is provided with a second rope pulley. The second transmission component 800 includes two second steel wire ropes 810 and two second conduits 820. The two second steel wire ropes 810 are respectively passed through the two second conduits 820. One end of the two second conduits 820 is fixed to the back component 100, and the other end of the two second conduits 820 is respectively fixed to both ends of the arc-shaped guide rail 610. One end of the two second steel wire ropes 810 passes through both ends of the arc-shaped guide rail 610 and is anchored to both ends of the arc-shaped slider 620. The other ends of the two second steel wire ropes 810 are respectively fixed to the two second rope pulleys. The Bowden wire structure is adopted, and the second conduit 820 provides concentric guidance constraint for the second wire rope 810 throughout the entire process, ensuring that the traction direction of the wire rope is consistent with the tangential direction of the arc guide rail 610; the two second wire ropes 810 are respectively passed through the independent second conduit 820, and the arc slider 620 is driven to slide along the arc trajectory of the arc guide rail 610 through the traction action.

[0033] The weight and reaction force of the exoskeleton need to be transmitted through the waist; instability during wear may affect the assistive effect. Therefore, in one embodiment, the waist fixation component 300 includes a lumbar support 310 and a flexible waist belt 320. The lumbar support 310 has an arc-shaped plate structure for fitting against the lower back of the human body. The lower end of the back component 100 is fixed to the upper edge of the lumbar support 310. The flexible waist belt 320 is connected to both sides of the lumbar support 310. The upper end of the leg-lifting drive unit 500 is fixedly installed to the lower side edge of the lumbar support 310 by bolts or buckles. The lumbar support 310 conforms to the curve of the human lumbar spine, providing a rigid mounting base to bear the back load and leg reaction force; the flexible waist belt 320 is responsible for the wrap-around locking. This rationally distributes the load and prevents the exoskeleton from slipping; the rigid support ensures efficient force transmission, and the flexible waist belt 320 ensures freedom of breathing and bending.

[0034] The leg binding assembly 400 may shift during walking or rotation, causing interruption or deviation in power transmission. Therefore, in one embodiment, the leg binding assembly 400 includes a connecting plate and a flexible strap. The connecting plate is fixedly connected to the drive end of the rotation drive unit 600; the flexible strap is connected to the connecting plate and is used to wrap around and fix the thigh. The connecting plate is fixedly connected to the slider of the rotation unit and receives mechanical force; the flexible strap presses the connecting plate tightly against the thigh muscles, using friction to transmit torque and thrust. A wide-band design with Velcro or buckles for adjusting tightness is typically used to accommodate different leg shapes and thicknesses; it distributes pressure to prevent localized chafing; and it ensures effective power transmission without slippage.

[0035] If the synchronization error of multiple motor movements is large, the leg lift and rotation movements will conflict, increasing the difficulty of balance for blind people and potentially causing them to lose balance and fall. Therefore, in one embodiment, the drive assembly 200 further includes a main controller and a motor driver; the main controller is used to receive external navigation commands and generate control signals, and the motor driver is used to drive the corresponding first and second drive devices according to the control signals. The main controller receives navigation commands from external sources, such as a cane sensor or voice commands, calculates them into motion parameters such as steering, speed, and angle required by each motor, generates control signals and sends them to the motor driver, and the driver drives the corresponding motor to perform actions that can respond to external commands and perform precise position or torque control.

[0036] A travel assistance system for the blind includes: a wearable sensing device for sensing the environment and the user's status; and a lower limb exoskeleton robot for travel assistance for the blind as described in any of the preceding claims; the drive component 200 is signal-connected to the wearable sensing device.

[0037] Integrating exoskeleton robots with wearable sensing devices creates a complete closed-loop system encompassing perception, decision-making, and execution. The sensors collect environmental information in real time, such as obstacles, paths, and user status (posture and intent). This data is processed and analyzed to generate specific navigation or obstacle avoidance commands, which are then sent to the exoskeleton robot's main controller. The controller then drives the mechanical system to perform corresponding leg-lifting or rotational movements, guiding the user to walk safely. Sensing devices may include, but are not limited to: visual sensors, such as depth cameras, for terrain and obstacle identification; positioning modules, such as GPS / BeiDou, for macroscopic path navigation; and inertial measurement units, such as IMUs, for monitoring the user's gait. This provides the necessary conditions for enabling autonomous and intelligent mobility for the blind.

[0038] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described. Those skilled in the art can make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these equivalent modifications or substitutions are all included within the scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people with mobility, characterized in that, include: Back support component, for wearing on the back of the human body; A drive assembly is disposed on the back assembly, the drive assembly comprising two first drive devices and two second drive devices; A waist fixation component is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the back component for fixing to the user's torso; Two leg restraint components are used to secure the user's legs; Two leg-lifting drive units are located on the left and right sides of the waist fixation component, respectively, and the top of each leg-lifting drive unit is fixedly connected to the side of the waist fixation component. Two rotation drive units are located below the two leg-raising drive units respectively. The fixed end of each rotation drive unit is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the corresponding leg-raising drive unit, and the drive end of each rotation drive unit is fixedly connected to the corresponding leg binding assembly. A first transmission component is connected between the two first driving devices and the two leg-lifting driving units, and is used to pull the leg-lifting driving units under the drive of the first driving devices so that they bend and deform in the sagittal plane of the human body. The second transmission assembly is connected between the two second drive devices and the two rotary drive units, and is used to pull the drive end of the rotary drive unit to rotate relative to the fixed end in the horizontal plane under the drive of the second drive devices.

2. The lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people in their travel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The leg-lifting drive unit includes a top joint, multiple flexible joint units, and a bottom joint arranged sequentially in a vertical direction. The top joint has a first hinge portion at its top end that is fixedly connected to the waist fixation component, and the bottom end of the top joint also has a first hinge portion. Each flexible joint unit has a second hinge portion at its top end and a third hinge portion at its bottom end. The first hinge portion is hinged to the adjacent second hinge portion, and the third hinge portion of two adjacent flexible joint units is hinged to the second hinge portion. The bottom joint has a fourth hinge portion at its top end, and the fourth hinge portion is hinged to the third hinge portion of the lowest flexible joint unit.

3. The lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people in their travel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first driving device is a first motor, and its output shaft is provided with a first pulley. The first transmission assembly includes two first steel wire ropes and two first conduits. The two first steel wire ropes are respectively passed through the two first conduits. One end of the two first conduits is fixed to the back assembly, and the other end of the two first conduits is respectively fixed to both ends of the top joint. One end of the two first steel wire ropes passes through the two ends of the top joint and the multiple flexible joint units in sequence and is anchored to both ends of the bottom joint. The other end of the two first steel wire ropes is respectively fixed to the two first pulleys.

4. The lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people in their travel according to claim 2, characterized in that, The flexible joint unit includes a first connecting portion, a second connecting portion, and a first lateral extension portion, a second lateral extension portion, and a third lateral extension portion that are sequentially spaced apart along the vertical direction. One side edge of the first lateral extension portion is connected to the same side edge of the second lateral extension portion through the first connecting portion, and the opposite side edge of the second lateral extension portion is connected to the same side edge of the third lateral extension portion through the second connecting portion. This forms an S-shaped or Z-shaped structure in cross-section. The second hinge portion is disposed on the side surface of the first lateral extension portion opposite to the second lateral extension portion. The third hinge portion is disposed on the side surface of the third lateral extension portion opposite to the second lateral extension portion.

5. The lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people in their travel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotation drive unit includes an arc-shaped guide rail and an arc-shaped slider. The arc-shaped guide rail serves as the fixed end and is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the leg-lifting drive unit on the corresponding side. The arc-shaped slider serves as the drive end and is fixedly connected to the leg binding assembly on the corresponding side. The arc-shaped slider is slidably disposed on the arc-shaped guide rail.

6. The lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people in their travel according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second driving device is a second motor, and its output shaft is equipped with a second pulley. The second transmission assembly includes two second steel wire ropes and two second conduits. The two second steel wire ropes are respectively passed through the two second conduits. One end of the two second conduits is fixed to the back assembly, and the other end of the two second conduits is respectively fixed to both ends of the arc-shaped guide rail. One end of the two second steel wire ropes passes through both ends of the arc-shaped guide rail and is anchored to both ends of the arc-shaped slider. The other end of the two second steel wire ropes is respectively fixed to the two second pulleys.

7. The lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people in their travel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lumbar fixation assembly includes a lumbar support and a flexible waist belt. The lumbar support has an arc-shaped plate structure for fitting against the lower back of the human body. The lower end of the back assembly is fixed to the upper edge of the lumbar support. The flexible waist belt is connected to both sides of the lumbar support. The upper end of the leg lifting drive unit is fixedly installed to the lower side edge of the lumbar support by bolts or buckles.

8. The lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people in their travel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The leg binding assembly includes a connecting plate and a flexible strap. The connecting plate is fixedly connected to the drive end of the rotation drive unit. The flexible strap is connected to the connecting plate and is used to wrap around and fix the human thigh.

9. The lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people in their travel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive assembly further includes a main controller and a motor driver; the main controller is used to receive external navigation commands and generate control signals, and the motor driver is used to drive the corresponding first drive device and second drive device according to the control signals.

10. A travel assistance system for the blind, characterized in that, include: Wearable sensing devices are used to sense the environment and the user's status. And a lower limb exoskeleton robot for assisting blind people in their travel as described in any one of claims 1-9; The driving component is signal-connected to the wearable sensing device.

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