KR20170138286A - Apparatus and system of stand-up assistance device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a stand-up assistance device capable of assisting stand-up for a user with a less physical force; and a system including the same. According to the present invention, the device comprises: a body unit including a base to be able to move with a plurality of wheels, and an auxiliary arm insertion groove formed on one surface in a longitudinal direction; an auxiliary arm unit including a robot mounter capable of being detachably coupled to a front-mounting stand-up assistance robot, wrist and elbow joint actuators to provide a degree of operational freedom to the robot mounter, a shoulder joint actuator coupled to one end of the auxiliary arm insertion groove, and a plurality of linkers to connect between the actuators; and a control unit initializing the actuators in a first operation mode to insert the auxiliary arm unit into the auxiliary arm insertion groove, and controlling the robot mounter in a second operation mode to detect and couple a predetermined portion of the front-mounting stand-up assistance robot.

Description

[0001] APPARATUS AND SYSTEM OF STAND-UP ASSISTANCE DEVICE [0002]

More particularly, the present invention relates to an upright support apparatus and a system including the upright support apparatus, and more particularly, to a stand-by assist apparatus and a stand-by assist apparatus that can support a user's standing up with less physical force when the user walks with the front- And a system including the same.

The walking assist robot is a robot that assists the elderly or the handicapped in walking. It is mainly used for the rehabilitation therapy for general medical use, and for the independent activity of the elderly or the handicapped in the indoor / outdoor walking environment .

The walking assist robot is manufactured in a form that can be worn on the user's body, and detects the motion of the user's arm or leg, thereby moving the arms or legs of the robot equipped with the actuator, It refers to robot. These walking-assist robots are being developed to overcome the disadvantages of existing walking-assist robots, which have limitations in the application of self-rehabilitation treatment, and are being developed in a form that can be worn on the user's body in order to help the user's self- .

The conventional walking-assist robot has a disadvantage in that it is constructed in a form of being worn on the rear side or on the ground so that the user's assistance and assistance of the standing person should be a prerequisite.

The conventional walking-assist robot suffers from difficulties in self-balancing and power control due to the simple operation and algorithm of the driving module for maintaining a complicated force balance state when an external force is applied during walking. Therefore, it is possible to precisely estimate the balance of the robot itself based on the external force and the user's force that can be generated when the robot is walking, accurately predict the intentions of the user's movement such as sitting or stopping, The robot has to be developed.

Korean Patent No. 10-1497673 proposes a walking assist device capable of driving an efficient and natural walking motion with a simple structure and configuration and not only secures a balance for maintaining stability and posture while walking, To provide a ride-on bipedal walking aid which can relieve passengers' feeling of ride and stability.

Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2015-0142794 discloses a method for determining whether a leg is a supporting process or a swing process through a measurement value of a force sensor provided at a sole of foot and a dynamic compensating torque A walking control method and a walking system of a wearing robot including a supporting step of applying a perfect torque of a virtual spring-damper model will be introduced.

Korean Patent No. 10-0716597 relates to a robot for intelligent muscular strength and a gait, which is a removable robot which can be easily put on and taken off by a user because the weight is light and the volume is small, , A caster walker that allows you to balance your body by placing your hands or arms on the front monitor to see various body and situational information and a robot that is mounted on a caster walker to transmit power for movement The power transmission device having a high weight and a large volume is mounted on the caster walker which can be pushed by the user unlike the conventional device in which the power transmission device is mounted on the wearer's part of the wearer, And the volume can be greatly reduced.

Korean Registered Patent No. 10-1497673 (Registered on February 22, 2015) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0142794 (published Dec. 12, 2015) Korean Patent No. 10-0716597 (registered on May 3, 2007)

An embodiment of the present invention is to provide an upright support apparatus and a system including the upright support apparatus, which can support the user's standing up with less physical force when the user walks in a state wearing the forward standing upright supporting robot.

An embodiment of the present invention is to provide an upright assisting device capable of flexibly controlling a driver in standing and lifting operations of an apparatus through an auxiliary arm unit and a system including the same.

An embodiment of the present invention is to provide a stand-by assisting device capable of supporting a user's standing, walking, and detachment of a device through a plurality of operation modes and a system including the same.

An embodiment of the present invention is to provide a standing assisting device capable of supporting walking by predicting a moving speed and a direction suitable for assisting a user based on a signal received from a front-standing standing-up assistant robot, and a system including the same.

Among the embodiments, the standing up assistance device comprises a body portion including a base movable through a plurality of wheels and an auxiliary arm insertion groove formed in a longitudinal direction on one surface, a robot mount removably engageable with the front wear standing assistance robot, An auxiliary arm unit including a wrist joint actuator for providing a working freedom to the mounting unit, an elbow joint actuator, a shoulder joint actuator coupled to one end of the auxiliary arm insertion groove, and a plurality of linkers for connection between the actuators, A control unit for initializing the actuators in the first operation mode to insert the auxiliary arm into the auxiliary arm insertion groove and to control the robot mount in the second operation mode to detect and combine a specific part of the front worn- .

In the third mode of operation, the control unit controls the actuators when the robot mount is coupled with a specific part of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot to stand up the user wearing the front-standing standing- And the robot mounting device is separated from a specific portion of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot.

In the fourth mode of operation, the control unit controls the actuators when the robot mount is combined with a specific part of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot, so that the user wearing the front-standing standing- To assist the user in walking.

In the standing assist device, the robot mount receives a signal from the front standing standing assist robot and transmits the signal to the controller. The controller estimates a moving speed and a direction suitable for assisting the user based on the signal received from the robot mount And controls the actuators.

In the standing arm device, in the auxiliary arm part, the wrist joint actuator includes at least three drive modules which provide six degrees of freedom and whose central axes are spaced apart, the elbow joint actuator provides two degrees of freedom, Wherein the shoulder joint actuator comprises at least two drive modules which provide four degrees of freedom and whose central axes are spaced apart.

In the standing assist device, the robot mount may further include a camera module rotatable on the upper end thereof, and the controller may position the assist arm part in a specific posture and detect a specific part of the forward wearing standing assist robot through the camera . ≪ / RTI >

The control unit rotates the camera module in a direction opposite to the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot, detects an obstacle in the driving direction, and prevents the user from hitting the obstacle.

The control unit rotates the camera module in the direction of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot in the second operation mode, detects an obstacle in the running direction to prevent the obstacle from colliding with the obstacle, And the direction of travel is controlled.

In the standing assisting device, the control unit includes at least one multi-axis force-torque sensor for measuring an external force, and applies a standing algorithm based on force-torque measurements of the multi-axis force-torque sensor, And controlling the actuators by predicting force-torque variations of the multi-axis force-torque sensor required.

Among the embodiments, the standing-up assistant system includes a front-standing standing-up assistant robot and an standing-up assistant device, which includes a base movable through a plurality of wheels and an auxiliary- A wrist joint actuator, an elbow joint actuator, a shoulder joint actuator coupled to one end of the auxiliary arm insertion groove, and a shoulder joint actuator coupled to one end of the auxiliary arm insertion groove. An auxiliary arm unit including a plurality of linkers for connection between actuators, and a controller for inserting the auxiliary arm unit into the auxiliary arm insertion groove by initializing the actuators in a first operation mode, A controller for controlling the mounting unit to detect and combine a specific part of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot It should.

In a standing assistance system including a front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot and an standing-up auxiliary apparatus, the control unit controls the actuators when the robot is combined with a specific part of the front-standing standing- The user wearing the standing-up auxiliary robot stands up, and after a certain period of time, the robot mounting unit is separated from a specific part of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot.

In a standing assistive device system including a front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot and an standing-up auxiliary device, in a fourth operating mode, the controller controls the actuators when the robot mount is combined with a specific part of the front- The user with the standing-up auxiliary robot can be stood up and moved in a specific direction after a certain time, thereby assisting the user's walking.

The disclosed technique may have the following effects. It is to be understood, however, that the scope of the disclosed technology is not to be construed as limited thereby, as it is not meant to imply that a particular embodiment should include all of the following effects or only the following effects.

The standing up assistance device and the system including the same according to an embodiment of the present invention can support the user's standing up with less physical force when the user walks in a state wearing the forward wearing standing assistant robot.

The standing up assistance device and the system including the same according to an embodiment of the present invention can flexibly control the driver in standing and lifting through the auxiliary arm unit and throughout the detachment operation of the device.

The standing up assistance device and the system including the same according to an embodiment of the present invention can support standing, walking and detachment of the user through a plurality of operation modes.

The standing up assistance device and the system including the same according to the embodiment of the present invention can support the walking by estimating the movement speed and direction suitable for assisting the user based on the signal received from the front wear standing up assistant robot.

1 is a view for explaining a standing assist system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a standing up assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a view illustrating a front-standing standing-up assistance robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a front-standing standing-up assistance robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The description of the present invention is merely an example for structural or functional explanation, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described in the text. That is, the embodiments are to be construed as being variously embodied and having various forms, so that the scope of the present invention should be understood to include equivalents capable of realizing technical ideas. Also, the purpose or effect of the present invention should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, since it does not mean that a specific embodiment should include all or only such effect.

Meanwhile, the meaning of the terms described in the present application should be understood as follows.

The terms "first "," second ", and the like are intended to distinguish one element from another, and the scope of the right should not be limited by these terms. For example, the first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as a first component.

It is to be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected to the other element, but there may be other elements in between. On the other hand, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that there are no other elements in between. On the other hand, other expressions that describe the relationship between components, such as "between" and "between" or "neighboring to" and "directly adjacent to" should be interpreted as well.

It is to be understood that the singular " include " or "have" are to be construed as including the stated feature, number, step, operation, It is to be understood that the combination is intended to specify that it does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

In each step, the identification code (e.g., a, b, c, etc.) is used for convenience of explanation, the identification code does not describe the order of each step, Unless otherwise stated, it may occur differently from the stated order. That is, each step may occur in the same order as described, may be performed substantially concurrently, or may be performed in reverse order.

The present invention can be embodied as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium, and the computer-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording devices for storing data that can be read by a computer system . Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include a ROM, a RAM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical data storage device, and the like, and also implemented in the form of a carrier wave (for example, transmission over the Internet) . In addition, the computer-readable recording medium may be distributed over network-connected computer systems so that computer readable codes can be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

All terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used predefined terms should be interpreted to be consistent with the meanings in the context of the related art and can not be interpreted as having ideal or overly formal meaning unless explicitly defined in the present application.

1 is a view for explaining a standing assist system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the standing-assisting-apparatus system 100 includes a standing-up assistant 110 and a front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120, which can be physically connected to each other or connected via a network and controlled.

The standing-up assistance device 110 is a device capable of supporting the user's standing up with less physical force when the user walks in a state wearing the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot, recognizes the external environment, And can be realized as a robot wheel type having a moving function. The standing assistance device 110 may perform object recognition, autonomous movement, and manipulation control for handling an object, and these functions may be performed by various sensors, actuators, and their automatic devices based on advanced technologies such as miniature mechatronics technology. A micro controller unit (MCU) for control, and the like. Here, an MCU is a micro controller having an integrated circuit containing a minimum number of computing elements such as a processor, a memory, and an input / output bus, and is widely used in a control field.

The front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 can be worn forward by the user, assist the user in standing up, autonomously balance through the plurality of sensors and drivers, predict the next movement, It corresponds to an intelligent robot capable of supporting walking.

The front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 may be physically connected to the standing-up assistant apparatus 110, and the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 may be controlled and connected thereto. The front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 can support the user's standing up, but it may be difficult for a user who has to stand up with very little physical force to assist in standing up smoothly. The standing-up auxiliary robot 120 is coupled with the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot 120 to support the user's standing-up operation so that the user can stand up with the physical force when standing up while wearing the front-standing standing- .

1A shows a process in which a standing assist device 110 detects a specific part of a front wearing standing assistant robot 120 through a robot mount 221 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The standing assistant 110 can detect the proximity position of the front wearing standing assistant robot 120 through the camera module 226 included in the robot mounting unit 221. [ The controller 230 can move the base 212 through the plurality of wheels so that the standing assist device 110 can be positioned close to the front wearing standing assist robot 120 have. The standing assistant 110 can detect a specific part of the front worn standing assistant robot 120 through the camera module included in the robot mounter 221. Based on the detected information, 220 can be positioned in a specific posture so as to be combined with a specific portion of the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120.

FIG. 1B shows a process in which the standing-up assistance device 110 performs standing-up assistance after being mounted on a specific part of the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 via the robot mount 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The standing up assistance device 110 applies the standing algorithm based on the values measured from the plurality of sensors through the controller 230 when the combination of the robot mounting device 221 and the front wearing and standing assistant robot 120 is completed, And can support the standing of the user wearing the front wearing standing assistant robot 120 by controlling the actuators by predicting the amount of change in the motion of the actuators in the standing assistant apparatus 110 necessary for reaching the final standing up have.

2 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a standing up assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A, the standing up assistance device 110 may include a body 210, an auxiliary arm 220, and a controller 230.

The body 210 may include a base 212 movable through a plurality of wheels and an auxiliary arm insertion groove 214 formed in a lengthwise direction on one side. The body part 210 is manufactured to have a weight of several kilograms or more so that the center of gravity can be caught by the reaction force generated by the operation of assisting the user wearing the front wearing standing assistant robot 120 in the auxiliary arm part 220 .

The base 212 can perform the moving function of the standing up assistance device 110 through a plurality of wheels, and the moving speed and direction can be adjusted by the controller 230. The base 212 may receive energy required to move the standing up assistance device 110 through a power source such as electricity, hydraulic, and pneumatic.

The auxiliary arm insertion groove 214 may be formed in a longitudinal direction on one side of the body portion 210. The auxiliary arm insertion groove 214 can be inserted by the actuators initialized in the first operation mode of the standing assist device 110. [ In one embodiment, the auxiliary arm insertion groove 214 may be inserted by the actuators as shown in FIG. 2B and may be inserted through the first mode of operation prior to powering off the standing- Initialization can be performed to facilitate storage. The auxiliary arm insertion groove 214 may be formed to have a constant cross-sectional area in the longitudinal direction for easy design, and may be formed to have a corresponding cross-sectional area depending on the shape of the auxiliary arm 220 in the longitudinal direction . Details regarding the plurality of operation modes are described in detail in the control unit 230.

The auxiliary arm unit 220 includes a robot mount 221 detachably coupled to the front wear standing up auxiliary robot 120, a wrist joint actuator 222, an elbow joint actuator 223, A shoulder joint actuator 224 coupled to one end of the auxiliary arm insertion groove 214, and a plurality of linkers 225 for connection between the actuators.

The robot mount 221 can be connected to the wrist joint actuator 222 on one side and detachably engageable with the front worn standing assistant robot 120. In such a combination, the robot mount 221 may be mounted in physical contact with the front wearing standing assistant robot 120 on at least one side. In one embodiment, the robot mount 221 may have threaded grooves formed to correspond to the shape of the preformed thread on a particular portion of the front wear standing assistant robot 120 across the plurality of faces, Is configured to rotate the wrist joint actuator of the auxiliary arm 220 when one side of the robot mount 221 is physically connected to one side of a specific part of the front wandering assistant robot 120, The mounting can be carried out in such a way that the grooves are joined. The robot mounting device 221 may further include a locking module (not shown) for assisting mounting with the front wearing standing assistant robot 120. In another embodiment, the robot mount 221 may include a locking module comprised of magnetic magnets, so that upon contact with a particular portion of the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120, It is possible to perform mounting with the specific part of the standing-up auxiliary robot 120.

The robot mount 221 may further include a camera module 226 rotatable on the top. The camera module 226 corresponds to a module for converting an image input through the lens into a digital signal. The camera module 226 includes an image sensor for converting an image into an electrical signal, a lens for transmitting an image of the subject to a sensor, an IR-filter (Infrared Filter) for blocking image noise generated in the sensor by blocking an infrared component contained in the image signal, And a PCB (Print Circuit Board) for receiving the converted digital image signal of the image sensor and transmitting the converted digital image signal to the controller 230. The digital video signal converted by the camera module 226 can be transmitted to the controller 230. The camera module 226 receives the information processed signal from the controller 230, So that the image detection area of the camera module can be controlled.

The camera module 226 may further include a proximity sensor capable of detecting the position of the front wearing standing assistant robot 120. Here, the proximity sensor refers to a sensor capable of detecting the presence and position of a detected object in a noncontact manner. The signal detected by the proximity sensor is transmitted to the control unit 230 and can be used to control the entire wearing and standing operation with the front wearing standing assistant robot 120. The contents of the operation of the camera module 226 associated with the control unit 230 will be described in detail in the detailed description of the control unit 230. [

The wrist joint actuator 222 can be connected to the robot mount 221 at the first end and to the linker 225 at the second end. The wrist joint actuator 222 may provide a degree of freedom of motion to the robot mount 221. In an embodiment, the wrist joint actuator 222 may include at least three drive modules that provide six degrees of freedom and whose center axes are spaced apart. Here, the degree of freedom has a specific direction with respect to the motion of the joint actuator, and the motion of the joint actuator corresponding to the specific direction is determined in a linear direction toward a three-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, that is, a three-dimensional space of X, It can be expressed as the direction in which the robot moves or the axis (X, Y, Z) is rotated about the center axis (Pitch, Roll, Yaw). The direction orthogonal to the left and right sides of the robot is placed on the X axis, and the direction of rotation about the robot corresponds to the pitch. The axis orthogonal to the front and the back is positioned on the Y axis, and the direction of rotation about the Y axis corresponds to the roll. The direction in which the axis is placed on the Z axis and which rotates about it is Yaw. 6 degrees of freedom can provide a wider range of motion freedom by adding 3 degrees of freedom according to rotational motion to pitch, roll, and yaw plus 3 degrees of freedom according to linear motion about X, Y and Z axes. Here, the linear motions with respect to the X, Y, and Z axes respectively indicate left and right sway about the X axis, left and right sway about the Y axis, and linear motions of the up and down sway about the Z axis. Accordingly, the wrist joint actuator 222 includes a first drive module for providing an operation degree of freedom in the pitch direction corresponding to the wrist joint, a second drive module for providing an operation degree of freedom in the roll direction, 3 drive modules, and can provide six degrees of freedom.

The elbow joint actuator 223 may be connected to the linker 225 at both ends thereof. As described above, the elbow joint actuator 223 may include a first drive module for providing an operation degree of freedom in the pitch direction corresponding to the elbow joint, and may provide two degrees of freedom.

The shoulder joint actuator 224 may be connected to the linker 225 at the first end and may be coupled to one end of the auxiliary arm insertion groove 214 at the second end. As described above, the shoulder joint actuator 224 may include a first drive module for providing an operation degree of freedom in the pitch direction corresponding to the shoulder joint, and a third drive module for providing an operation degree of freedom in the Yaw direction. It is possible to provide degrees of freedom.

Each of the plurality of drive modules in the auxiliary arm 220 may be configured to include a driver that obtains a rotary motion force using electric power. Here, the driving module refers to a driver designed to provide a degree of freedom of operation while performing a similar function in correspondence with the joints of a person, and in the present invention, a driving module But are not limited to, motors, hydraulic drive modules, and pneumatic drive modules, and may include various types that are used to drive devices and that are available in the industry. Among them, the motor mainly used as the drive module is able to output the maximum torque quickly, and it is mainly used for the AC motor used for driving the wheels, the DC motor having the strength in the short duty cycle, the control signal of the stepping motor, Servo motors that can be driven with high precision, and hybrid digital motors of these types.

Shaped auxiliary module that physically connects the joint actuators of the linker 225 to the auxiliary arm 220 and includes a control module 230 and circuit modules for transmitting and amplifying electrical signals between the other units .

The controller 230 controls the overall operation of the body 210 and the auxiliary arm 220. The control unit 230 is a communication and information processing unit that collectively controls the entire operation of the standing up assistance device 110 and receives inputs necessary for the operation of the components of the standing assistance device 110 so as to match the desired movement with the actual movement of the robot And delivers the output drive signals to the drivers.

In addition to the multi-axis force-torque sensor for measuring external force, the controller 230 includes an encoder for measuring an angle change, a force sensor resistor (FSR) sensor for measuring the amount of change in resistance according to pressure, And an MCU (Micro Controller Unit) that performs comprehensive computing based on the measured information. Here, the MCU refers to a computer that has a microprocessor and an I / O module formed into a single chip, performs a predetermined function, has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) core and a memory, and has programmable inputs and outputs. You can write machine code.

The controller 230 initializes the drivers in the first operation mode and inserts the auxiliary arm 220 into the auxiliary arm insertion groove 214. Herein, the initialization means a process of returning the position and state of the auxiliary arm 220 including the actuators to the initial set state. In one embodiment, the controller 230 can set the first state that is set in advance as shown in FIG. 2B, and can maintain this state immediately after turning on the power. For example, the controller 230 may perform initialization of the external form through the first operation mode to facilitate storage before the power of the standing-up assistance apparatus 110 is turned off, and similarly, It can support the function of stopping use and waiting.

The control unit 230 may control the actuators in the second operation mode to detect and combine specific parts of the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 through the robot mount 221. [

When the second operation mode is activated, the controller 230 may operate the camera module 226 included in the robot mount 221 to detect the proximity position of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot 120. In one embodiment, the controller 230 can control the proximity sensor included in the camera module 226 to detect proximity of the front-standing standing assistant robot 120, In this movement process, the camera module 226 is rotated in the direction of the front-standing standing assistant robot 120 to detect an obstacle in the traveling direction, and the forward-standing standing- It is possible to control the traveling direction so that the vehicle 120 is prevented from hitting or obstructing the obstacle and obstructing the traveling.

The control unit 230 continuously detects the position information of the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120, and if the corresponding position information is detected within a pre-set mountable range, the controller 230 determines that the front-wear standing- The control unit 230 can control the drivers of the auxiliary arm unit 220 based on the specific site location information of the front wandering standing assistant robot 120 detected through the camera module 226 included in the robot mounter 221 The auxiliary arm 220 can be positioned in a specific posture so as to be able to engage with the specific parts of the robot mount 221 and the front wear standing-up assistant robot 120.

When the controller 230 senses a physical contact of a predetermined amount or more between a specific portion of the robot mount 221 and the standing-up auxiliary robot 120, the controller 230 may be engaged in a detachable manner. This combination of detachable features can be implemented in a variety of ways that are used to detach two devices in the industry. In one embodiment, a part of the special part of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot 120 and a part of the robot mount 221 may have a thread groove so that they can be screwed to each other, and the control part 230 controls the auxiliary arm part 220 can be rotated by rotating the wrist joint actuator to couple the special part of the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 to the robot mount 221. In another embodiment, the robot mount 221 may include a locking module comprised of magnetic magnets, so that upon contact with a particular portion of the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120, Can be performed.

The controller 230 controls the actuators when the robot mount 221 is coupled with a specific part of the front worn standing assistant robot 120 in the third operation mode to stand up the user wearing the front worn standing assistant robot 120, The robot mounting unit 221 may be separated from the specific portion of the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 after a predetermined time.

When the third operation mode is activated, the controller 230 can detect whether the robot attachment 221 is coupled with the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120. The control unit 230 may calculate the current standing state by applying the standing algorithm based on the values measured from the plurality of sensors and may calculate the current standing state based on the measured values from the plurality of sensors, It is possible to support the standing of the user wearing the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot 120 by controlling the actuators by predicting the amount of change in the motion of the driving machines. When the current standing state according to the standing algorithm reaches the final standing state, the controller 230 separates the robot mounting device 221 from the specific position of the front wearing standing assistant robot 120 and terminates the standing operation . If it is detected that the third operation mode is activated in the state where the completion of the connection is not detected, the controller 230 controls the second operation mode to start the third operation mode after completing the second operation mode have.

The controller 230 controls the actuators when the robot mount 221 is coupled with a specific part of the front worn standing assistant robot 120 in the fourth operation mode to stand up the user wearing the front worn standing assistant robot 120 The user can assist the user in walking by moving in a specific direction after a predetermined time.

When the fourth operation mode is activated, the stand-by support operation can proceed in the same manner as the stand-up support operation in the third operation mode as described above. The control unit 230 can support the walking assist operation after a predetermined time when the current standing state according to the standing algorithm reaches the final standing state.

When the walking assist operation is started in the fourth operation mode, the controller 230 rotates the camera module 226 in the direction opposite to the front-standing standing assist robot, detects an obstacle in the traveling direction, It is possible to perform control such as adjusting or stopping the moving direction to the front,

The control unit 230 receives signals from the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 and can control the actuators by predicting the moving speed and direction suitable for assisting the user's walking. In one embodiment, the robot mount 221 may receive signals from a specific portion of the front-standing standing assistant robot 120 coupled and electrically connected to the controller 230, and the controller 230 may control the robot arm 221 The user can assist the user on the basis of the signal received from the user. In another embodiment, the control unit 230 may be connected to the front-standing standing assistant robot 120 through a network to receive a signal, and the control unit 230 may assist the user in walking based on the received signal . The control unit 230 can control the moving speed to a level determined to be appropriate for the user wearing the front wandering assist robot 120 based on the signal transmitted from the front wandering standing assist robot 120. For example, based on the transmitted signal, it can be determined that the physical force sensed by the lower body of the user wearing the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 is within a predetermined 'range requiring a slow speed, ) Can be adjusted to the level of 1 km / h.

The control unit 230 may terminate the fourth operation mode by stopping the movement of the base 212 after a predetermined period of time and separating the robot mount 221 from the specific portion of the front worn standing assist robot 120. [

In such a plurality of operation modes, the moving direction of the standing-up auxiliary device 110 can be manually controlled by instructing the control unit 230 to change the moving direction. For example, the control unit 230 can receive a command from the remote controller to control the moving direction, and can recognize the voice including the specific command to control the moving direction.

3 is a view illustrating a front-standing standing-up assistance robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 can form a posture in which the user can sit and wear, so that the user can wear the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 in a sitting position.

In order to wear the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot 120, the following procedures can be performed. First, the user puts the sole on the foot plate 314 and, if necessary, uses the leg strap 330a to bind the foot to the linker 312. The user puts his / her hand on the gripper bar 322 and grasps it, and by applying a force, it pulls the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 to sit and change it to a wearable posture. The user uses the leg strap 330b to join the thigh to the linker 312 and attach the upper body to the body plate 324 by utilizing the upper body strap 330c as necessary.

For the operation of the forward wearing standing assistant robot 120, the following procedures can be performed. First, when an electric signal applied to the user's muscle is applied by the user before the motion is generated by the user, the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 uses the muscle force measuring sensor mounted in the motion control module 340, To a muscle force measurement value. Then, the operation control module 340 computes the current state by applying the gait algorithm based on the muscle force measurement value, predicts the next operation of the user, and then controls the leg joint actuators 316 and the second pelvis joint actuators 328, So that the user can stand up or start walking. Then, when the user's action occurs, the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 measures the force-torque change amount using the multi-axial force-torque sensor mounted on the gait assistant drivers and predicts the next action of the user based on the measured force- The walking assist can be assisted by operating the walking assist driver. Further, the operation control module 340 predicts and drives the motion of the walking aiding actuators required to maintain balance by applying a balance algorithm based on the amount of change in the force-torque, thereby maintaining the overall balance and assisting the user in walking have.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the aft-wearing standing-up assistant robot 120 predicts the next operation based on the user's small amount of motion, and calculates the leg joint actuators 316 and the second pelvis joint actuators 328 And the walking assist driver), thereby assisting the user in walking.

4 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a front-standing standing-up assistance robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot 120 may include a plurality of auxiliary legs 310 and a body 320.

The plurality of auxiliary legs 310 may each include a plurality of ankle joint actuators and a first pelvis joint actuator, each of which provides a degree of freedom in the first or second direction and is spaced apart from each central axis. The plurality of ankle joint actuators and the first pelvis joint actuators may be represented by leg joint actuators 166. More specifically, the leg joint actuators 316 include first pelvis joint actuators 316a, each corresponding to a user's pelvic joints, to provide a degree of freedom in a first direction, And a first ankle joint driver 316c that provides a degree of freedom in a first direction corresponding to the ankle joints of the user, And a second ankle joint driver 316d that provides a degree of freedom of motion in the direction of the second ankle joint 316d. The first ankle joint driver 316c and the second ankle joint driver 316d are spaced apart from each other to provide a wide freedom of motion and are provided with an operation control module 340 ) To maintain the overall balance.

Each of the walking assist drivers including the leg joint actuators 316 corresponds to the joints of the user and provides a certain degree of freedom of operation. As described above, the first pelvis joint actuators 316a, the knee joint actuators 316b, and the first ankle joint actuators 316c can provide the degrees of freedom in the pitch direction corresponding to the joints, respectively The second ankle joint actuators 316d and the second pelvis joint actuators 328 may provide an operational freedom in the Roll direction.

Each of the gait assistant drivers may include a driver for obtaining the rotational force using electric power, a sensor for sensing external conditions by analyzing sensory related signals, and a peripheral module. Here, the sensor includes an acceleration sensor for measuring a tilt based on the ground surface and a gyro sensor for measuring a tilt with information obtained by measuring the angular velocity, or a multi-axis force-torque Sensor, or a muscle force measuring sensor capable of measuring an electrical signal before the user's movement appears as an external force. The signals sensed by the plurality of sensors may be used to balance the overall balance through the balance algorithm after being passed to the motion control module 340 and may be used to predict the next motion through the gait algorithm. The content is described in more detail in the description of the operation control module 340.

The auxiliary legs 310 may further include a footrest 314 which is disposed on the foot of a user's user and is connected to the second ankle joint driver 316d. Accordingly, the leg joint actuators 316 formed along the user's legs in the auxiliary leg portions 310 can be connected to the footstep 314 at the lower end of the leg outer side. The foot plate 314 can be made in a plate shape to support the weight of the user and to assist walking by being joined with the second ankle joint driver 316d.

The auxiliary legs 310 may further include linkers 312 connecting the plurality of joint actuators and may further include leg straps 130a and 130b as fixing means for stably supporting the user's legs .

The body portion 320 is connected to the first pelvis joint actuators 316a of the leg joint actuators 316 at the first end and includes a plurality of supporting bars (not shown) which are bent to open the rear surface of the body, support bars 126 and second pelvis joint actuators 328 each coupled to second ends of the plurality of support bars 326 to provide an operational degree of freedom in a second direction.

The body portion 320 may further include a body plate 324 combining the plurality of support bars 326 and the second pelvis joint actuators 328. The body plate 324 refers to an auxiliary module that is formed in a plate-like shape to fix and support the upper body of the user and to be coupled with a plurality of support bars connected to the second pelvis joint actuators. The body plate 324 may further include an upper body strap 330c as a fixing means for stably supporting the upper body of the user.

The body part 320 may further include a gripping rod 322 connected to one surface of the body plate 324 opposite to the user and extending in a direction parallel to the ground so as to be gripped by a user's hand. The user can utilize the gripping rod 322 as a means for wearing the front-standing standing-up assistant robot 120 by gripping and gripping a part of the gripping rod 322 with a hand and applying a force, To assist the desired operation by activating the leg joint actuators 316 and the second pel joint joint actuators 328 through manual control such as grasping a portion of the gripper rod 322 with a hand and applying force or rotating it in a specific direction can do. In addition, the user may lift a load with a weight on a portion of the gripper rod 322, in which case the weight of the load is sensed by a plurality of sensors in the motion control module 340, Lt; / RTI > Here, the gripper rod 322 uses the term rod, which means a rounded circumference, but it is not limited thereto and may include various forms that can be gripped by a user's hand similarly to the described function.

The body 320 may include a large-capacity battery pack 335 mounted on one side of the body plate 324 opposite to the user to supply power to the inside of the front-standing upright supporting robot 120, 335 can be made removable and portable.

Each of the gait assistant drivers may include a multi-axis force-torque sensor for sensing the movement of the corresponding joint generated according to the user's operation. Here, the multi-axis force-torque sensor may be composed of a combination of an acceleration sensor for measuring the tilt with respect to the surface of the ground to detect three-dimensional motion and a plurality of gyro sensors for measuring the tilt with information obtained by measuring the angular velocity For example, a six-axis force-torque sensor including three gyro sensors and three acceleration sensors and configured to have six degrees of freedom. The signals sensed by the multi-axis force-torque sensor can be used to balance the overall balance algorithm.

The body part 320 may include an operation control module 340 that continuously detects the center of gravity of the user and controls the plurality of ankle joint actuators to center the center of gravity.

The motion control module 340 applies the balance algorithm based on the force-torque measurements of the multi-axis force-torque sensor and predicts the force-torque variations of the multi-axis force-torque sensor needed to maintain balance of the central axis, And the like.

In addition to the multi-axis force-torque sensor that measures an external force when a user applies force, the operation control module 340 includes an encoder for measuring an angle change when the joint is moved, a force-sensing resistor (FSR) ) Sensor, a muscle force measuring sensor such as an EMG (Electromyograph) sensor capable of measuring an electrical signal applied to the user's muscles, and a plurality of sensors, which perform comprehensive computing based on information measured by the sensors MCU. ≪ / RTI >

The operation control module 340 can calculate the current balance state by applying a balance algorithm based on the values measured from the plurality of sensors, predicts the amount of operation change of the walking assist driver required to maintain the balance of the central axis The walking assist driver can be controlled.

The operation control module 340 can control the walking assist drivers by predicting the following operation based on the values measured from the plurality of sensors. For example, it is possible to control the walking aiding actuators by predicting the following actions on the basis of the amount of force-torque change generated by the user's operation via the multi-axis force-torque sensor, The gait assistant drivers can be controlled by predicting the following actions based on the amount of electrical signals measured by the muscle force measuring sensor capable of measuring electrical signals applied to the user's muscles before they appear.

The operation control module 340 may apply an algorithm capable of distinguishing and recognizing the gait pattern in the next operation prediction. Since the walking pattern of the person has a continuous step of walking in 7 stages of Foot Flat → Midstance → Terminal Stance → PreSwing → Initial-Swing → Midswing → TerminalSwing in order to assist the walking of the user, It is necessary to take different support methods accordingly. Accordingly, the operation control module 340 can recognize the current walking step by calculating the current state of the user based on the measured values converted from the plurality of sensors such as the multi-axis force-torque sensor and the muscle force measuring sensor. The operation control module 340 can predict the next step according to the recognized current walking step and assist the walking of the user by controlling the walking assist drivers so as to support the user's strength continuously.

In addition to the balance algorithm and the general gait pattern algorithm, the motion control module 340 may include a wear and release algorithm of the front-wear standing assistant robot 120, a stair walking aiding algorithm, a backward walking algorithm, a left and right motion algorithm, It is possible to control the gait assistant drivers based on the next operation predicted according to the complex intention of the user by applying various algorithms to comprehensively understand the intention of the gait related to the motion.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims It can be understood that

100: Standing assistance device 110: Standing assistance device
120: Front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot 210:
212: base 214: auxiliary arm insertion groove
220: auxiliary arm 221: robot mount
222: wrist joint actuator 223: elbow joint actuator
224: Shoulder joint actuator 225: Linker
226: camera module 230:
310: auxiliary leg 312: linker
314: foot plate 316: leg joint actuator
316a: First pelvis joint actuator 316b: Knee joint actuator
316c: first ankle joint actuator 316d: second ankle joint actuator
320: body portion 322:
324: body plate 326: support bar
328: second pelvic joint actuator 330: strap
330a: Leg strap 330b: Leg strap
330c: upper body strap 335: battery pack
340: Operation control module

Claims (12)

A body portion including a base movable through a plurality of wheels and an auxiliary arm insertion groove formed in a longitudinal direction on one side;
A wrist joint actuator, an elbow joint actuator, a shoulder joint actuator coupled to one end of the auxiliary arm insertion groove, and a connection between the actuators, An auxiliary arm unit including a plurality of linkers; And
A control unit for initializing the actuators in the first operation mode to insert the auxiliary arm into the auxiliary arm insertion groove and to control the robot mount in the second operation mode to detect and combine a specific part of the front worn- Comprising an upright auxiliary device.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit
When the robot mount is coupled with a specific part of the front worn standing assistant robot in the third operation mode, the user wearing the front worn standing assistant robot is elevated by controlling the actuators, and after a predetermined time, Wherein the auxiliary robot is separated from a specific portion of the auxiliary robot.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control unit
In the fourth operation mode, when the robot mount is coupled with a specific part of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot, the user wearing the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot is controlled by controlling the actuators, And a supporting member for supporting the supporting member.
The method of claim 3,
The robot mounting unit receives a signal from the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot and transmits the signal to the control unit,
Wherein the control unit controls the actuators by predicting a moving speed and a direction suitable for assisting the user based on a signal received from the robot mount.
The method according to claim 1,
In the auxiliary arm portion, the wrist joint actuator includes at least three drive modules which provide six degrees of freedom and whose central axes are spaced apart,
Wherein the elbow joint actuator provides two degrees of freedom and includes at least one drive module,
Characterized in that the shoulder joint actuator comprises at least two drive modules which provide four degrees of freedom and whose center axes are spaced apart.
The robot system according to claim 4, wherein the robot mount
And a rotatable camera module on top thereof,
Wherein the control unit is configured to position the auxiliary arm unit in a specific posture and detect a specific part of the front-standing standing-up assistant robot through the camera.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit
Wherein the camera module is rotated in a direction opposite to the forward-standing standing-up auxiliary robot, and an obstacle in the running direction is detected to prevent a user from hitting the obstacle.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit
In the second operation mode, the camera module is rotated in the direction of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot, and an obstacle in the running direction is detected to prevent it from hitting the obstacle and the running direction is controlled toward the front- .
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control unit
Axis force-torque sensor which is required to reach a final standing state by applying a standing algorithm based on the force-torque measurements of the multi-axis force-torque sensor and measuring at least one multi-axis force- Wherein the controller controls the actuators by predicting the amount of force-torque variation of the actuators.
A front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot and an standing-
The standing-
A body portion including a base movable through a plurality of wheels and an auxiliary arm insertion groove formed in a longitudinal direction on one side;
A wrist joint driver, an elbow joint driver, a shoulder joint driver coupled to one end of the auxiliary arm insertion groove, and a connection between the actuators, wherein the robot arm is detachably coupled to the front worn- An auxiliary arm unit including a plurality of linkers; And
A control unit for initializing the actuators in the first operation mode to insert the auxiliary arm into the auxiliary arm insertion groove and to control the robot mount in the second operation mode to detect and combine a specific part of the front worn- Comprising an upright auxiliary device system.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit
When the robot mount is coupled with a specific part of the front worn standing assistant robot in the third operation mode, the user wearing the front worn standing assistant robot is elevated by controlling the actuators, and after a predetermined time, Wherein the auxiliary robot is separated from a specific portion of the auxiliary robot.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit
In the fourth operation mode, when the robot mount is coupled with a specific part of the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot, the user wearing the front-standing standing-up auxiliary robot is controlled by controlling the actuators, And a second auxiliary device for supporting the second auxiliary device.

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