Elastic Lower-Body Exosuit for Passive Motion Assistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable suits are expensive and reduce their effectiveness when used for purposes other than their specialized functions, necessitating a device that can assist lower body motion without compromising user activity.
Innovation Solution
A wearable device utilizing elastic straps, frames, and members to provide auxiliary forces for sitting, standing, and walking motions by accumulating and releasing elastic energy to minimize joint stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wearable suits are manufactured for special purposes, then they can provide specialized assistance, but they become expensive and reduce effectiveness when used for other activities
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device uses elastic members that can be configured to assist multiple types of motions including sitting, standing, and walking. The same elastic components provide assistance across different activities rather than requiring specialized equipment for each function, thereby achieving versatility while maintaining assistance effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs elastic members with adjustable tension and configurable stiffness that can adapt to different motion requirements. The elastic properties allow the device to dynamically adjust its assistance characteristics based on the user's activity type, enabling both specialized performance and broad versatility.
2Reliability
If wearable suits use complex sensor and actuator systems, then they can provide precise motion assistance, but they increase device complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic members are configured to automatically provide assistance forces based on their inherent elastic properties and the user's motion. The system self-regulates the assistance without requiring complex sensors or active actuators, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable motion assistance through passive elastic energy storage and release.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex active mechanical systems (motors, sensors, controllers) with a passive elastic mechanical system. The elastic members store and release energy mechanically, eliminating the need for electronic sensors and actuators, thereby significantly reducing device complexity while providing effective motion assistance.
3Device complexity
If wearable suits use passive elastic components, then they reduce device complexity and cost, but they may compromise assistance effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The device optimizes the elastic properties of the members by adjusting parameters such as stiffness, pre-tension, and configuration geometry. These parameter changes enable the passive elastic components to generate sufficient assistance forces for various activities, maintaining effectiveness despite the simplicity of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable device uses composite elastic structures combining multiple materials or configurations to enhance the performance of passive elastic members. This allows the simple elastic components to provide reliable assistance across different activities by leveraging the combined properties of the composite elastic system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device assists lower body motions by reducing joint stress and providing necessary energy for activities like sitting and standing, enhancing user mobility without impairing general activity.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of elastic members, each elastic member of the plurality of elastic members including: at least one of a strap of the plurality of straps, the upper elastic frame, and the lower elastic frame
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable device for assisting a lower body motion and a control method thereof are disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a wearable device that assists a motion of a lower body by an elastic force, the wearable device includes: a plurality of straps for engaging a body of a user; a plurality of elastic frames configured to be elastically deformed according to a motion of the user, and configured to include an upper elastic frame extending from one side of a waist of the user to one side of a knee of the user and a lower elastic frame extending from one side of a thigh of the user to one side of an ankle of the user; and a plurality of elastic members, wherein each elastic member of the plurality of elastic members includes: at least one of a strap of the plurality of straps, the upper elastic frame, and the lower elastic frame.