Exoskeleton Safety Feedback Control for Alert-Based Joint Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current exoskeleton control systems lack comprehensive and user-friendly safety monitoring and control methods, failing to provide effective alerts and feedback that allow users to take corrective actions, especially in situations like impending steps or device malfunctions, and often restrict device states based on center of pressure variation rather than user intent or device standby status.
Innovation Solution
The proposed control system includes methods for safety monitoring and control that halt actuation in response to high-severity alerts, provide imminent stepping alerts, and restrict device states based on user intent or standby mode, featuring a feedback system that indicates next device actions and correlates with device states, such as visual cues for stepping legs and alerts for thermal protection and sensor faults.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If comprehensive safety monitoring and control methods are implemented, then user safety and comfort are enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system segments safety monitoring into distinct alert severity levels (high-severity, medium-severity, low-severity alerts), each with specific control responses. This segmentation allows comprehensive safety monitoring without overwhelming complexity by organizing monitoring functions into manageable, hierarchical categories with predefined response protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms through electronic indicators that communicate device states and alert conditions to the user. The feedback loop includes detecting alert conditions, determining severity levels, selecting appropriate control responses, and displaying status through indicators, creating a closed-loop safety monitoring system that enhances reliability while maintaining manageable complexity through structured information flow.
2Reliability
If device actuation is halted in response to high-severity alerts, then user safety is protected, but device productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes operational parameters based on alert severity levels. For high-severity alerts, the control parameter changes to halt actuation; for medium-severity alerts, torque is limited; for low-severity alerts, no control change occurs. This parameter-based approach allows the system to maintain productivity when appropriate while ensuring safety when necessary, resolving the contradiction between safety protection and operation continuity.
3Ease of operation
If device states are restricted based on user intent or standby mode, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by determining device standby status and user intent before executing state transitions. The control system evaluates whether the device is in standby mode and assesses user intent prior to allowing or restricting state changes. This preliminary evaluation approach simplifies operation by preventing accidental transitions while managing complexity through structured decision-making protocols that occur before critical actions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of controlling a mobility device and related device including at least one drive component that drives at least one joint component is described. The control method may include executing a control application with an electronic controller to perform: receiving sensor information from sensors corresponding to a state and/or mode of the mobility device; analyzing the sensor information and determining a control mode of operation based on the sensor information; generating a control signal to output an alert via electronic indicators corresponding to the determined control mode; and controlling at least one drive component of the mobility device to selectively configure and modulate at least one joint component in accordance with the determined control mode of operation. Different alerts may be outputted by the electronic indicators depending on the nature or severity of the alert condition, accompanied by respective device control operations in accordance with the alert condition.