GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE MUTTOM

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

SEMINAR
REPORT 2022-2023

HUMAN EXO-SKELETON
Submitted By
NIYAS O I
REG NO. 20021454
 GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE MUTTOM

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that this report on “HUMAN EXO-SKELTON” is a bona
fide record of the Seminar done by NIYAS O I ,Reg No. 20021454
Diploma in Mechanical Engineering under the Department of Technical
Education Government of Kerala during The academic year 2022-23 at
Govt. Polytechnic College Muttom.

Lecturer in charge:

External examiner: Head of Dept.

 CONTENTS

 ABSTRACT 1
 INTRODUCTION 2
 HISTORY 3
 PRINCIPLE 4
 EXOSKELTON DESIGN ARCHITECTRE 5
 WORKING 10
 FEATURES 12
 CHALLENGES 13
 APPLICATION 14
 FUTURE SCOPE 15
 CONCLUSION 16
 REFERENCES 17
ABSTRACT

A human's ability to perform physical tasks is limited, not by his intellect, but by his physical
strength. If, in an appropriate environment, a machine's mechanical power is closely integrated
with a human mechanical strength under the control of the human intellect, the resulting system
will be superior to a loosely integrated combination of a human and a fully automated robot.
Therefore, we ought to develop a fundamental solution to the problem of "extending" human
mechanical power via integrating with a robot.

Biomechatronics is an applied interdisciplinary science that aims to integrate mechanical

elements, electronics and parts of biological organisms. Biomechatronics includes the aspects of
biology, mechanics, and electronics. It also encompasses the fields of robotics and neuroscience.
It may be regarded as an extension of mechatronics. The biomechatronic systems integrate
mechanisms, embedded control and human–machine interaction (HMI), sensors, actuators and
energy supply in such a way that each of these components, and the whole mechatronic system,
is inspired by biological models.

The paper deals with aspects relevant to the biomechatronic design and control of wearable
robots, here termed as mechatronic exoskeleton, in close cooperation with human actors. We will
find out how these devices work, explore the current and future of biomechatronic research and
learn about the benefits and applications of such devices. We also have case study addressing
outstanding research projects on wearable robots.

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INTRODUCTION

The biomechatronic exoskeleton is essentially a wearable robot that amplifies its wearer’s
strength, endurance and agility. There is an effective transfer of power between the human and
the robot. Humans and exoskeletons are in close physical interaction.

A possible classification of wearable robots takes into account the function they perform in
cooperation with the human actor. Thus, the following are instances of wearable robots:

 Empowering robotic exoskeletons. These were originally called extenders (Kazerooni,

1990) and were defined as a class of robots that extends the strength of the human
beyond its natural ability while maintaining human control of the robot. A specific and
singular aspect of extenders is that the exoskeleton structure maps on to the human
actor’s anatomy.

 Orthotic and prosthetic robots - According to this classification, orthotic wearable

robots, e.g. exoskeletons, are those that operate mechanically parallel to the human body.
Its purpose is to restore lost or weak functions, whereas prosthetic wearable robots
operate mechanically in series with the human body and their chief function is to
substitute for lost body limbs, e.g. following an amputation.

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HISTORY

In the early 1960s, the US Defense Department expressed interest in the development of a man-
amplifier, a “powered suit of armor” which would augment soldiers’ lifting and carrying
capabilities. At the same time, at Cornell Aeronautical Laboratories work started to develop the
concept of man–amplifiers – manipulators to enhance the strength of a human operator. In later
work, Cornell determined that an exoskeleton, an external structure in the shape of the human
body which has far fewer degrees of freedom than a human, could accomplish most desired
tasks.

General Electric Co. further developed the concept of human–amplifiers through the Hardiman
project from 1966 to 1971. The Hardiman concept was more of a robotic master–slave
configuration in which two overlapping exoskeletons were implemented. The inner one was set
to follow human motion while the outer one implemented a hydraulically powered version of the
motion performed by the inner exoskeleton. All these studies found that duplicating all human
motions and using master–slave systems were not practical. Additionally, difficulties in human
sensing and system complexity kept it from walking.

Several exoskeletons were developed at the University of Belgrade in the 1960s and 1970s to
aid paraplegics. Although these early devices were limited to predefined motions and had limited
success, balancing algorithms developed for them are still used in many bipedal robots. “HAL”
by Cyberdyne is an orthosis, connected to thighs and shanks that move a patient’s legs as a
function of the EMG signals measured from the wearer.

The concept of extenders versus master/slave robots as systems exhibiting genuine information
and power transmission between the two actors was coined in 1990 (Kazerooni, 1990).

Efforts in the defense and military arena have continued up to the present, chiefly promoted by
the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

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PRINCIPLE

The biomechatronic exoskeleton is based on the principle of internal force or external force
systems. Which of these force interaction concepts is chosen depends chiefly on the application.
On the one hand, empowering exoskeletons must be based on the concept of external force
systems; empowering exoskeletons are used to multiply the force that a human wearer can
withstand, and therefore the force that the environment exerts on the exoskeleton must be
grounded: i.e. in external force systems the exoskeleton’s mechanical structure acts as a load-
carrying device and only a small part of the force is exerted on the wearer. The power is
transmitted to an external base, be it fixed or portable with the operator. The only power
transmission is between the human limbs and the robot as a means of implementing control
inputs and/or force feedback.

On the other hand, orthotic exoskeletons, i.e. exoskeletons for functional compensation of human
limbs, work on the internal force principle. In this instance of a wearable robot, the force and
power are transmitted by means of the exoskeleton between segments of the human limb.
Orthotic exoskeletons are applicable whenever there is weakness or loss of human limb function.
In such a scenario, the exoskeleton complements or replaces the function of the human
musculoskeletal system. In internal force exoskeletons, the force is nongrounded; force is applied
only between the exoskeleton and the limb.

In all, the design consists in using biomechanical data (sEMG) or the contact force between the
extender and human from the limbs to determine the configuration of the actuators and actions
that are applied at joint level.

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EXOSKELETON DESIGN ARCHITECTURE

Fundamental to designing a lower extremity exoskeleton is selecting the overall structural

architecture of the limbs. Many different layouts of joints and limbs can combine to form a
functioning body part e.g. a leg, but any architecture generally falls into one of a few categories:

A. Anthropomorphic Architecture

Anthropomorphic architectures attempt to exactly match the human limb. By kinematically

matching the human degrees of freedom and limb lengths, the exoskeleton’s leg position exactly
follows the human leg’s position. This greatly simplifies many design issues. For example, one
does not have to be concerned with human/exoskeleton collisions. However, one major difficulty
is that the joints in human legs cannot be duplicated using the common state of technology in
designing joints. For instance, the human knee does not exhibit a pure rotation and duplicating
all its kinematics will result in a complicated (and perhaps non-robust) mechanical system.

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 Another major point of concern in this architecture is that the exoskeleton limb lengths must be
equal to the human limb lengths. This means that for different operators to wear the exoskeleton,
almost all the exoskeleton limbs must be highly adjustable. In general, the anthropomorphic
architecture is erroneously regarded to be the preferred choice because it allows the exoskeleton
to attach to the operator wherever desired.

B. Non-anthropomorphic Architecture

While not as common in exoskeleton designs, many nonanthropomorphic devices are highly
successful, such as bicycles. Non-anthropomorphic architectures open up a wide range of
possibilities for the limb design as long as the exoskeleton never interferes or limits the operator.
Often it is difficult to develop architecture significantly different from a human leg that can still
move the foot through all the necessary maneuvers (e.g. turning tight corners and deep squats).
Safety issues become more prominent with nonanthropomorphic designs since the exoskeleton
must be prevented from forcing the operator into a configuration they cannot reach. Another
problem with this architecture is that the exoskeleton legs may collide with the human legs or
external objects more often because the exoskeleton joints are not located in the same place as
the human joints.

C. Pseudo-anthropomorphic

For maximum safety and minimum collisions with the environment, architecture is chosen that is
almost anthropomorphic. This means, for example the leg is kinematically similar to a human’s,
but does not include all of the degrees of freedom of human legs. Additionally, the degrees of
freedom are all purely rotary joints. Since the human and exoskeleton leg kinematics are not
exactly the same (merely similar), the human and exoskeleton are only rigidly connected at the
extremities (feet and torso). Any other rigid connections would lead to large forces imposed on
the operator due to the kinematic differences. However, compliant connections, allowing relative
motion between the human and exoskeleton, are tolerable. Another benefit of not exactly
matching the human kinematics is that it is easier to size for various operators.

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Any biomechatronic system must have the following types of components:

Biosensors

Biosensors detect the user's "intentions." Depending upon the impairment and type of device,
this information can come from the user's nervous and/or muscle system. The biosensor relates
this information to a controller located either externally or inside the device itself. Biosensors
also feedback from the limb and actuator (such as the limb position and applied force) and relate
this information to the controller or the user's nervous/muscle system.

Biosensors detect electrical activity such as galvanic detectors (which detect an electric current
produced by chemical means) on the skin.

Mechanical Sensors

Mechanical sensors measure information about the device (such as limb position, applied force
and load) and relate to the biosensor and/or the controller. There are mechanical devices such as
force meters and accelerometers.

Cutaway view of LVDT

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Controller

The controller interfaces the user's nerve or muscle system and the device. It relays and/or
interprets intention commands from the user to the actuators of the device. It also relays and/or
interprets feedback information from the mechanical and biosensors to the user. The controller
also monitors and controls the movements of the biomechatronic device.

Actuator

The actuator is an artificial muscle that produces force or movement. In selecting actuators for a
particular application, a number of requirements may arise. These include power or force
density, efficiency, size and weight, and cost. In general, actuators in wearable robot applications
are used under dynamic operating conditions. Dynamic operation usually produces changing
conditions in the amount of power flow. The actuator can be a motor with cable-drive system,
pneumatic or a hydraulic system that aids or replaces the user's native muscle depending upon
the device. In wearable robotics, traditional actuator technologies, e.g. pneumatic, hydraulic and
electromagnetic actuators, are commonly used. Hydraulic and pneumatic actuators are known for
their high force density and high force or torque characteristics, and have been used in a number
of applications.

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Portable Storage

Different types of batteries are commercially available as portable energy solutions. The main
issue with battery technologies is the ability to meet power and energy requirements while
minimizing the weight of the energy storage device. This requirement will be a major factor in
the selection of a given actuation technology and in the practical application of the WR for
interaction with a human being. Battery systems range from reliable technologies, such as lead–
acid, that have been proven and developed over many years, to various newer designs that are
currently under development. Commercial solutions include lithium–ion, sodium–sulfur and
sodium–nickel chloride.

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WORKING

In these devices, the operator force on the device is sensed and amplified electronically by use of
a computer to drive the device actuator. In other words, these devices extend the workers
physical power by adding mechanical power to the maneuvering task. The correct amount of
power to add is calculated instantaneously in the device computer. The result is that the
intelligent assist device lifts a pre-programmed larger percentage of the total force of the load
while the operator lifts the remaining much smaller percentage. This smaller percentage is sensed
physically by the operator, so the operator has a feel of the load weight and inertia.

The working phases of a biomechatronic exoskeleton are:

1. Data acquisition – The measurement of angular position or linear displacements of a

given joint or segment using various force and pressure sensing technologies like LVDT,
accelerometer, biosensors etc.
 Movement and position of limbs are controlled by electrical signals traveling back
and forth between the muscles and the peripheral and central nervous system.
Electromyography (EMG) is the registration and interpretation of these muscle
action potentials.
 Surface EMG (sEMG) is produced when ions flow in/out of muscle cells. Nerve
sends signal to initiate muscle contraction. This signal is acquired using a high
sensitive Ag/AgCl electrode lead in wet condition attached to the skin.
 More is the muscle contraction level more is the amplitude of the sEMG signal.
This signal is transduced into electronic circuit.

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2. Classification – Estimating the muscle force based on the acquired signal.
 Signal is amplified to take full advantage of input after filtering out the noise prior
to A/D conversion.
 Muscle force is then estimated from above amplified data.
 The input to the robot can also be derived from the contact forces between the
robot and the human.

3. Actuation – Moving the robotic arm

 The estimated force is sent via an interface circuit to the robotic arm.
 In case of contact force, the contact force is measured, appropriately modified,
and used as an input to the robotic arm control, in addition to being used for
actual maneuvering. So that the human arm feels a scaled down version of the
actual forces on the robot without a separate set of actuators.
 The actuator arm moves to position corresponding to estimated force.

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FEATURES

Some of the features and advantages of exoskeleton are as follows:

 Strength augmentation
 Endurance augmentation
 The system provides its pilot(i.e. wearer) the ability to carry significant payloads
with minimal effort
 Can operate in any type of terrain
 Human provides an intelligent control system for the exoskeleton
 Control algorithm ensures that the exoskeleton moves in concert with the pilot
with minimal interaction force between the two
 exoskeleton’s kinematic chain maps on to the human limb anatomy

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CHALLENGES

Followings are some of the challenges for the development of wearable exoskeleton technologies
that DARPA has outlined:

 Structural materials - The exoskeleton will have to be made out of composite materials
that are strong, lightweight and flexible.

 Power source - The exoskeleton must have enough power to run for at least 24 hours
before refueling.

 Control - Controls for the machine must be seamless. Users must be able to function
normally while wearing the device.

 Actuation - The machine must be able to move smoothly so it's not too awkward for the
wearer. Actuators must be quiet and efficient.

 Biomechanics - Exoskeletons must be able to shift from side to side and front to back,
just as a person would move in battle. Developers will have to design the frame with
human-like joints. More and more precision required for sensing the exact desired motion
of the human operator.

 Energy consumption - Energy consumption is a critical issue for wearable robots. It must
be optimized. For example, developments of robot capable of walking down a gentle
slope without any control or actuation.

 Degrees of freedom – The Degree of freedom must be optimized so as to reduce

kinematic redundancy that occurs when more degrees of freedom (DoFs) are available
than are required to perform a given task.

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APPLICATIONS

 In defense establishment where Soldiers could carry heavy loads across rugged terrain
without fatigue. Similarly, military medics could carry injured victims off the battlefield.
 Fire and rescue workers could carry heavy gear or supplies great distances where vehicles
could not travel.
 In industries for material handling purposes.
 In space applications
 They can provide improved motor function that better mimic normal biological function
to impaired individuals. They can also be used to train individuals with impaired motor
function

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FUTURE SCOPES

“Future is Machine”

Superhuman strength has always been confined to science fiction, but advances in human-
performance augmentation systems could give a person the ability to lift hundreds of pounds
using the effort they would usually use to lift a fraction of that weight. With this added strength,
soldiers will be able to mount weapons directly to the uniform system.

The Future Force Warrior concept envisions the radical use of technologies such
as nanotechnology, powered exoskeletons etc. to provide the infantry with significantly
higher force multiplier than the opposing force. The U.S. military hopes to develop a fully
realized end product sometime in 2032, incorporating research from U.C. Berkeley’s
BLEEX exoskeleton project and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Institute for Soldier
Nanotechnologies into a final design.

It is clear that technology will not remain confined in the Hollywood blockbusters. We will see
that impaired one will be able to walk properly. Workers in industries will work more with less
fatigue and our soldiers will be more resilient and powerful than what is now.

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CONCLUSION

Humans aren't the swiftest creatures on Earth, and most of us are limited in the amount of weight
that we can pick up and carry. These weaknesses can be fatal on the battlefield, and that's why
the U.S. Defense is investing $50 million to develop an exoskeleton suit for ground troops. This
wearable robotic system could give soldiers the ability to run faster, carry heavier weapons and
leap over large obstacles. Imagine a battalion of super soldiers that can lift hundreds of pounds as
easily as lifting 10 pounds and can run twice their normal speed.

Exoskeleton research and development has been ongoing for the past few years. Efforts have
been hindered by a number of challenges, such as developing a system design that does not
interfere with the way a wearer would normally walk and can run on a small battery-powered
pack rather than fuel. M.I.T.'s research is no exception. During test runs, researchers found that
although the loads on their backs were lighter, walking required more exertion, causing the
wearer to use 10 percent more oxygen than if he or she was not wearing the exoskeleton.

Currently, researches for the development of Exoskeletons are:

 UC Berkeley/Lockheed Martin HULC legs, the primary competitor to Sarcos/Raytheon.

Allows the user to carry up to 200 lbs on a backpack attached to the exoskeleton
independent of the user.
 Cyberdyne's HAL 5 arms/legs. Allows the wearer to lift 5 times as much as they normally
could.
 Honda Exoskeleton Legs. Weighs 14.3 lbs and features a seat for the wearer.
 M.I.T. Media Lab's Biomechatronics Group legs. Weighs 11.7 kilograms (26 lbs).
 Sarcos/Raytheon XOS Exoskeleton arms/legs. For use in the military and to "replace the
wheelchair", weighs 150 lbs and allows the wearer to lift 200 lbs with little or no effort.

In India, although the study and research on mechatronics have been here from some time, still
overall progress in the biomechatronic field is way back when compared to the research work
going on other organizations outside the country. Scientists and engineers should consider
putting their effort in such field so that in future our country may stand at least comparable to the
developed one.

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REFERENCES

I. Kazerooni, H., A. Chu, R. Steger, “That which does not stabilize, will only make us
stronger” The International Journal of Robotics Research, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 75-89,
January 2007
II. A. Zoss, Kazerooni, H, A. Chu, “On the Biomechanical Design of the Berkeley Lower
Extremity Exoskeleton (BLEEX)”, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, Volume
11, Number 2, pp. 128-138, April 2006
III. Jose L. Pons. “Wearable Robots: Biomechatronic Exoskeletons” CSIC, Madrid, Spain,
Wiley pub. ISBN-10: 0470512946
IV. Ed. Joseph D. Bronzino, “The Biomedical Engineering Handbook”, Second Edition
CRC Press LLC. ISBN: 0-8493-0461-X

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