Tendon-Sheath Transmitted Soft Light Exoskeletons
摘要
Exoskeletons is a type of wearable robot system working in parallel with human limbs and combining strength of robot with human intelligence. It can effectively improve human strength, endurance, and locomotion in various environments. In the last decade, many researchers have developed different kinds of wearable exoskeleton for the disabled, elderly, and soldiers. These devices are equipped with different types of actuators, such as electrical motors, hydraulic cylinders and artificial muscles, and thus able to assist human bodies to move with any assistance level of training. Currently, light weight, portability and high driving capability are the main directions for the development of exoskeletons. To this end, we took advantage of the high compliance, lightweight and large transmission force of the tendon-sheath mechanism to develop wearable exoskeletons. In this chapter, we introduce several kinds of wearable exoskeletons actuated by the tendon-sheath systems, including the upper limb and the lower limb exoskeletons. The structure design, movement control of the tendon-sheath actuated exoskeletons were illustrated, and the tendon-sheath based artificial muscle and its application in exoskeleton is also introduced. We hope that through this chapter, readers can understand the general steps of using tendon-sheath mechanism to develop exoskeleton systems, and further inspire readers to expand the application of tendon-sheath in other robotic systems.