Development of a lower extremity exoskeleton - preliminary study for dynamic walking

Exoskeletons for human performance augmentation are controlled and wearable devices and machines that can increase the speed, strength, and endurance of the operator. So far most researchers focus on the upper limb exoskeletons. To help those who need to travel long distances by feet with heavy loads such as infantry soldiers, this paper presents a control principle of a lower extremity exoskeleton. An exoskeleton foot is designed to measure the human and the exoskeleton's ZMP. Using the measured human ZMP as the reference, the exoskeleton's ZMP is modified by torso control and ground reaction force control so that the exoskeleton can walk stably. Test prototypes, initial experiment results, and preliminary dynamic analysis are also presented.