Hip Exoskeleton

This hip exoskeleton emulator actuates hip flexion/extension and abduction/adduction for both legs. It allows experimenters to quickly test a variety of controllers intended to improve balance during walking or fall recovery.

This exoskeleton has a range of motion of over 90 degrees in both planes of actuation and is capable of applying 75 Nm of torque in both directions. Each of the four joints is equipped with an encoder to detect angular position and each thigh tube features two sets of strain gauges to detect applied forces. The exoskeleton is driven by powerful offboard motors via Bowden cable actuation.

I led the design of the exoskeleton with help from another PhD student. We surveyed literature for design specifications, brainstormed ideas for the frame, actuation, and body attachments, modeled the components in Solidworks, ran FEA, and assembled the exoskeleton. This device will be used for future studies investigating methods to assist users with fall recovery and general balance enhancement.