Development and control of power-assisted lumbar suit based on upper-body acceleration

Abstract

In this study, we propose a method to estimate the assistive timing requirements for a power-assisted lumbar suit based on upper-body acceleration. Our developed power-assisted suit combines of springs, wires, and an electrical motor to provide efficient assistance. The assistive torque provided by the suit was determined based on a digital human model. The assistive timing using the electrical motor was calculated from the upper-body acceleration measured using two internal accelerometers. Herein, we present the experimental results based on the myoelectricity of a muscle during lifting motions involving three participants acting as caregivers to elderly patients.