3D Relative Motion Assessment in Lower-Limb Exoskeletons: A Case of Study with AGoRA Exoskeleton

Abstract

Different studies have been conducted to assess the performance of several features of exoskeletons. One of the most critical component is the physical interfaces which transfer the energy to the user. Nevertheless, they have been isolated within the assessment process. In this sense, this work presents a 3D relative motion methodology to evaluate a lower-limb exoskeleton’s physical interfaces. One male subject wore the AGoRA exoskeleton to apply the proposed methodology using an optoelectronic system. Kinematic results showed the 3D human-robot interaction (HRI) of the user’s thigh, identifying an undesired degree of freedom of 36.5∘ among the gait cycle. Hence, the implications of this analysis provide a comprehensive indicator of physical interface’s performance.