Optimization of Exoskeleton Assistance Function Based on Physics-Guided Dynamic Fusion Model

Wearable lower-limb exoskeletons can enhance mobility, reduce metabolic cost, and aid rehabilitation. Effective human-exo cooperation requires personalized assistance profiles that match biomechanical principles. Existing methods often rely on fixed curves, involve complex tuning, and lack biomechanical interpretability. To address this, we propose a “Physics-guided perception and physiology-driven optimization” approach. First, a Physics-guided Dynamic Fusion Model (PDFM) is proposed, which integrates Newton–Euler dynamics, LSTM, and NTM to estimate multi-plane hip joint moments without ground reaction forces, employing biomechanical models as complementary fusion factors rather than the embedded hard constraints used in conventional physics-informed neural networks (PINNs). The model achieved correlation coefficients of 0.938, 0.924, and 0.929, and relative root mean square error (rRMSE) values of 5.29%, 9.79%, and 5.61%, in the sagittal, coronal, and transverse planes, respectively. These results outperformed all single-network baselines across all three anatomical planes. Second, an assistance profile derived from estimated moments is individually optimized using Bayesian optimization based on multi-muscle sEMG. Compared to no-exo walking, the optimized system reduced target muscle loading by 49.31% and metabolic cost by 14.75%; relative to the pre-optimized profile, the reductions were 23.64% and 5.74%, respectively. This work provides a laboratory-validated framework for personalized hip exoskeleton assistance in healthy adults, establishing a foundation for future clinical translation.