RU2638276C1 - Method for generation of control signals and method for manual control of operation of exoskeleton lower limbs based thereon, as well as exoskeleton operation control interfaces in manual and software control mode using specified generation method - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions can be used in exoskeletons of lower limbs with pneumatic, hydraulic or electric drives to ensure walking for users with fully or partially paralyzed lower limbs, as well as for rehabilitation of patients during walking skills restoration after traumas and diseases of varying severity. A method for generation of signals controlling lower limbs exoskeleton operation and specifying the required shaft rotation angle for at least one leg joint orthosis of the exoskeleton, by generating signals through the efforts of exoskeleton user by a signal generation means. Signals are generated in accordance with the condition for changing their amplitude in proportion to the change in the moment of force developed on the orthosis shaft. A method for manual control of the lower limb exoskeleton operation is also proposed by generating signals in accordance with the above method using at least one finger of the exoskeleton user. Signals amplitude is change in proportion to the change in the moment of force, developed at least one shaft of the exoskeleton leg joint orthosis by modifying the efforts exerted in turn on at least two force-measuring sensors using two finger phalanges of the exoskeleton user to rotate the orthosis shaft in two opposite directions. Lower limb exoskeleton operation control interface in the manual control mode contains a unit for generation of a manual control signal using the exoskeleton user to specify the range of angles of rotation of the shaft at least one of the exoskeleton leg joint orthosis required for walking and directed to at least one orthosis shaft drive. The unit for generation of a manual control signal using the exoskeleton user is based on at least two force-measuring sensors, for forces alternately rendered to the sensors when walking to generate signals with two phalanges of the user's finger with a possibility to rotate the orthosis shaft in two opposite directions. Force-measuring sensors are calibrated with a possibility of manual control signal generation with amplitudes, proportionate to the moments of forces developed on the orthosis shaft, and provided by a proportionate change of forces exerted on these sensors by the user's finger phalanges. Lower limb exoskeleton control interface in the software control mode contains at least one shaft angle sensor for at least one exoskeleton leg joint orthosis, a processor unit to generate signals specifying a software limited range of angles of rotation of the orthosis shaft based on the signals read from the sensor with a standalone tool to run basic software options for orthosis shaft turning under the main types of exoskeleton movements, including walking, and changes in rotation angle in the software control mode, and connected to at least one of the orthosis shaft drives. The proposed interface is equipped with an optional unit for manual control signals generation using the fingers of the exoskeleton user that specify the range of angles of orthosis shaft rotation required for walking in harsh conditions, coupled with the mentioned processor unit, optionally disabling the software control mode and engagement the manual control mode of the exoskeleton, and executed on the basis of at least two sensors measuring the force, alternately exerted on the sensors during walking to make them generate signals by two phalanges of the user's fingers with a possibility to rotate the orthosis shaft in two opposite directions. Force-measuring sensors are calibrated with a possibility of manual control signal generation with amplitudes, proportionate to the moments of forces developed on the orthosis shaft, and provided by a proportionate change.

EFFECT: application of the group of inventions will improve methods for generation of signals controlling lower limbs exoskeleton, operation, will improve the operational characteristics of the exoskeleton as a result of application of this method for signal generation at a higher ergonomic level of lower limbs exoskeleton control by generating signals that specify the required rotation angle for leg joints orthoses shafts of this exoskeleton, using the fingers of the exoskeleton user, implemented in the proposed lower limbs exoskeleton control interface in the manual control mode in conditions of qualitatively superior possibilities for overcoming thresholds, curbs and other uneven bearing surface, as well as by adjustment of the lower limbs exoskeleton operation during walking in complicated conditions during operation of the lower limbs exoskeleton control interface in the software control mode with optional generation of signals that specify leg joints orthoses shafts using the exoskeleton user's fingers, due to the mode of amplitude changing for the generated signals effectively approximated to the user physiology, proportional to the change in the moments of forces developed on the user's leg joints orthoses shafts.

17 cl, 6 dwg

Description

The group of inventions relates to medicine and can be used in exoskeletons (exoskeletons) of the lower extremities with pneumatic, hydraulic or electric drives to provide walking for users with fully or partially paralyzed lower extremities, as well as for the rehabilitation of patients with restoration of walking skills after injuries and diseases of various gravity.

Exoskeleton of the lower extremities, considered in the present description of the group of inventions, includes an actuator of exoskeleton movement, consisting of orthoses of the hip and / or knee and / or ankle joints of the lower extremities (in an amount dependent on the specific dysfunction of the lower extremities of the user of the exoskeleton) and an interface for controlling the operation of the drives of these orthoses, and therefore the operational efficiency of such an exoskeleton depends on the convenience of controlling the drives indicated x orthoses, subject to the maximum approximation of the motor capabilities of exoskeleton to the physiology of the user.

The maximum approximation of the motor capabilities of exoskeleton of the lower extremities to the physiology of the user is achieved as a result of the implementation of the interface for managing orthosis drives of joints in the composition of exoskeleton based on signals of muscle and neural activity of the user (see, for example, application US 2015289995, A61F 2/60, 2015), which at the same time, due to the low stability of communication “human nervous system -> machine control capabilities” and, accordingly, insufficiently high reliability, as well as complexity and high cost of character rizuetsya limited use. Users with paralyzed lower extremities cannot use such an interface due to the impossibility of organizing the communication “human nervous system → machine control capabilities”, which is not consistent with the social and consumer request and the corresponding interface is beyond the scope of the present description of the proposed group of inventions.

The prior art in the field of exoskeleton control of the lower extremities is characterized mainly by analogs - control interfaces with software control of the drives of orthoses of the joints of the exoskeleton based on feedback from the state sensors of the lower extremities of the exoskeleton (see, for example, patent CN 101803966, A61F 2/62, 2010 or application US 2015025423, A61H 3/00, 2015).

The disadvantages of these analogues are the ability to perform only movements with predefined parameters, the user can only choose which movement the exoskeleton should perform, for example, take a step with the left or right foot, but quickly change the movement parameters, for example, step length, height of the foot or movement speed analog systems do not provide the opportunity (see, for example, application US 2013158445, А61Н 3/00, 2013).

At the same time, the most problematic in implementation is the ability to quickly (during walking) adjust each next step, in particular, the ability to change the height of the foot on the go (see Yaroslav Rybakov's information material “Import Substitution of Exoskeletons” dated 04.04.2015 on the Internet site : http://rusplt.ru/societv/importozameschenie-ekzoskeletov-16235.html?auth_code=anonymous) or step length.

This drawback is present in the well-known power control, in which the user, due to his muscular efforts (in particular legs) applied to the elements (force sensors) of the exoskeleton drives, moves them, and the greater the force applied by the user, the higher the speed of controlled mechanical the components of the specified actuator and the higher the efforts created by these components (see the review article by A. A. Vereykin, “On the issue of using exoskeletons in industrial and construction EPE - the history of development, and classification "on the website in the Internet: http://www.str-t.ru/reports/18/).

This disadvantage is the imperfection of exoskeleton movement control related to the calibration of force sensors, according to which the control signal generated by these sensors is proportional to the angular speeds of rotation (rotation) of the joint orthoses. With this calibration, any of the factors that impede the free movement of the leg joint orthosis (for example, a bag, clothes, grass, stones, etc.) can automatically increase the moment of force developed on the joint orthosis shaft due to compensation for the loss of rotation speed joint orthosis shaft from external factors, as a result of which it is possible:

a) uncontrolled growth of the moment of force developed on the joint orthosis shaft, which can lead to damage to the exoskeleton joint orthosis;

b) a sharp increase in the rotation speed of the joint orthosis shaft after a sudden cessation of the factor that interferes with the movement, which will significantly complicate the control of exoskeleton movement, especially for the user of exoskeleton with lower limb dysfunctions and can lead to damage to the exoskeleton joint orthosis.

In the general case, the adjustment of the force sensors to generate signals proportional to the torque of the force on the shafts of the drives of the rotary links of the exoskeleton (as a solution to the problem of the current (while walking) adjustment of each next step of the exoskeleton) turns out to be advantageous - more ergonomic due to the elimination of unnecessary the increase in the amplitude of motion of the lower extremities of the exoskeleton inherent to the adjustment of the force sensors to the angular velocity or angle of rotation on the shafts of the drives of the rotary links of the exoskeleton under conditions Barrier-terrain overcome obstacles that hinder the development step exoskeleton.

The gain in controlling the operation of exoskeleton in this case is in saving the amplitudes of movements of its lower extremities, inherent in the physiology of the user of exoskeleton when changing (restructuring) the step of exoskeleton.

As a prototype of the proposed method for generating signals that control the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities, the method of generating signals that control the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities and specifying the necessary range of angles of rotation of the shaft of the orthoses of the joints of the legs in the specified exoskeleton by generating these signals due to the efforts of the user of the exoskeleton is selected using the means of generating these signals, in which the user of the exoskeleton using the muscles of his legs makes small moves inside the exoskeleton - “micromotion” and presses the force sensors, rigidly mounted on a particular link of the exoskeleton, thereby signaling the desired direction of movement of this link and the desired speed of such movement, and the speed of movement of the link is greater, the stronger the exoskeleton user presses force sensor (see the message by G. Avedikov and others. “Exoskeleton: design, control” - Materials of the XI 1st All-Russian meeting on control problems. M., 2014, p. 88-89, fig. 5 on the website on the Internet: http://vspu2014.ipu.ru/proceedings/prcdnqs/84.pdf).

The disadvantages of this prototype are insufficiently improved control of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities due to the low ergonomicity of the method for generating signals that control the operation of the exoskeleton, due to the adjustment of the force sensors that generate these signals to the speed characteristics of the movements of the lower extremities of the exoskeleton (see the above disadvantage) and exclusion from the list possible consumers of exoskeleton users with paralyzed legs.

As prototypes of the proposed method for manually controlling the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities and the interface for controlling the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities in the manual control mode, a similar control method was selected by generating signals defining the range of angles of rotation of the shaft of the orthoses of the joints of the legs in the specified exoskeleton using fingers an exoskeleton user, and an interface comprising a finger generating unit of the exoskeleton user’s hand signals controls that specify the range of angles of rotation of the shaft of the orthoses of the joints of the legs as a part of the specified exoskeleton and are sent to the drives of the shafts of the said orthoses according to the patent US 5662693, A61F 5/01, A61F 5/00, 1997.

Moreover, in these prototypes, a sophisticated method of angular reading was carried out using a special receiving controller device (consisting of orthoses of the joints of the legs) of the bend of the fingers of a user’s hand of an exoskeleton, which is controlled by special sensors that generate emitted electromagnetic pulses mounted on the fingers, and cast using this device into the movement of the orthoses of the joints of the legs in accordance with the indicated finger bends without proportionality between the change in the angles of the bend of the fingers and from eneniem moments of forces exerted on the shafts orthoses, and therefore no gain in ergonomics control the operation of the exoskeleton.

As a prototype of the claimed interface for controlling the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities in the program control mode, a similar interface was selected according to the patent US 7153242, А63В 21/00, 2006.

This prototype, containing at least one sensor of the shaft rotation angles of at least one orthosis of the leg joint as part of the exoskeleton, is a processor unit for generating signals defining a programmatically limited range of the shaft rotation angles of the specified orthosis, based on reading signals from the specified sensor, equipped with an autonomous means launch (in the form of a keyboard) the basic software options for turning the shaft of the specified orthosis within the framework of the main types of exoskeleton movements, including walking, and changing the angle of the specified rotation in program control mode and connected to at least one drive of the specified orthosis, is characterized by cumbersome execution and functional limited adjustment of exoskeleton movement during walking, resulting from the shortcomings of this interface, which provides only program control based on previously predetermined exoskeleton motion patterns containing time dependencies angles of flexion of the joint orthosis during the implementation of the movement selected by the user.

The technical result of the proposed group of inventions is an improvement in the method of generating signals that control the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities, which improves the operational characteristics of the specified exoskeleton as a result of using the aforementioned method of generating signals at a higher ergonomic level of control of the work of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities by generating signals that specify the range of angles necessary for walking rotation of the shaft of the orthoses of the joints of the legs as part of the specified exosk summer, using the fingers of a user of exoskeleton, who received the lower extremities exoskeleton in the proposed control interface in the manual control mode under conditions of qualitatively improved ability to overcome thresholds, borders and other irregularities of the supporting surface, as well as by adjusting the operation of exoskeleton of the lower extremities while walking in complicated conditions (when overcoming terrain obstacles) with the functioning of the proposed exoskeleton control interface it is of the lower extremities in program control mode with an additional unit for generating, with the fingers of the user's hand, exoskeleton of signals specifying the rotation of the shaft of the orthoses of the leg joints, due to the regime of changing the amplitudes of the signals generated by the user, which is effectively close to the physiology of the user of the exoskeleton, proportional to the change in the moments of forces developed on the shafts of the orthoses joints of the user's legs.

To achieve the specified technical result

in the method for generating signals that control the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities and setting the range of angles of rotation of the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint as a part of the specified exoskeleton necessary for walking, by generating these signals due to the efforts of the user of the exoskeleton using the means for generating these signals, the signals are generated in in accordance with the condition of changing their amplitude in proportion to the change in the moment of force developed on the shaft of the specified orthosis;

in a method for manually controlling the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities by generating signals specifying the range of angles of rotation of the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint in the specified exoskeleton, using at least one finger of the user of the exoskeleton, the amplitude of the mentioned signals is proportional to the change in the moment of force, developed on the shaft of the specified orthosis, by changing the force, alternately exerted on at least two force measurement sensors using two phalanges pa tsa user exoskeleton hand to rotate the shaft of said orthosis in two mutually antithetical directions;

in the control interface for exoskeleton operation of the lower extremities in manual control mode, which contains a block for generating, with the user's fingers, exoskeleton of manual control signals that specify the range of shaft rotation angles of at least one leg joint orthosis included in the specified exoskeleton and sent to at least one drive the shaft of the specified orthosis, the unit for generating, with the fingers of the hand of the user, an exoskeleton of manual control signals is made on the basis of at least two sensors measuring forces alternately exerted on said sensors when walking to generate said signals by two phalanges of the user's finger with the possibility of turning the shaft of the specified orthosis in two opposite directions, moreover, said force measurement sensors are calibrated with the possibility of generating manual control signals with amplitudes proportional to the moments of forces, developed on the shaft of the specified orthosis, and provided by a proportional change in the forces exerted on these sensors by the indicated Alang finger the user's hand,

wherein

at least two force sensors can be

are installed with their fixation to the palm of the user of the exoskeleton and the possibility of their working contact with two phalanges of the fingers, connected to an amplifier of manual control signals that specify the angle of rotation of the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint in two opposite directions, mounted on the wrist of one of the hands of the user of the exoskeleton, forming with these sensors, the aforementioned unit for generating manual signals with the fingers of a user’s hand exoskeleton and connected to at least one contact a roller drive of the shaft of the specified orthosis to perform the rotation of the specified shaft in the range of angles specified by the specified generation unit,

made in the form of flat strain-sensitive elements,

placed with their fastening on two phalanges of the fingers of the user's hand exoskeleton or their installation in the design of a special glove,

and the interface may include at least one sensor of the angle of rotation of the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint as part of the exoskeleton and a means of delivering the user of the exoskeleton of information signals coming from this sensor, made in the form of an indication unit connected to the specified sensor of the angle of rotation of the shaft and an exoskeleton placed in the user's field of view with an indication unit attached to his head;

to the interface for controlling the operation of the lower limb exoskeleton in program control mode, containing at least one sensor of the shaft rotation angles of at least one leg joint orthosis as part of the exoskeleton, a processor unit for generating signals defining a programmatically limited range of shaft rotation angles of the specified orthosis, based on signal reading coming from the specified sensor, equipped with an autonomous means of selecting the basic software options for turning the shaft of the specified orthosis within the main types of movement In addition to exoskeleton, including walking, and changing the angle of the indicated rotation in program control mode and connected to at least one drive of the shaft of the specified orthosis, an additional block has been introduced for generating, with the fingers of the user's hand, the exoskeleton of manual control signals specifying the range of rotation angles necessary for walking in complicated conditions the shaft of the specified orthosis, connected to the processor unit with the ability to disable the program mode for controlling the operation of exoskeleton and enable manual mode control operation of the exoskeleton, and made on the basis of at least two force measurement sensors, alternately applied to these sensors when walking to generate the mentioned signals by two phalanges of the user's finger with the ability to rotate the shaft of the specified orthosis in two opposite directions, and these force measurement sensors are calibrated with the ability to generate manual control signals with amplitudes proportional to the moments of forces developed on the shaft of the specified orthosis, and provide by proportional changes in the forces exerted on these sensors by the indicated phalanges of the user's finger,

wherein

at least two force sensors can be

are installed with their fixation to the palm of the user of the exoskeleton and the possibility of working contact with two phalanges of the finger and connected to an amplifier of manual control signals that rotate the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint in two opposite directions, mounted on the wrist of one of the hands of the user of the exoskeleton, forming with these sensors generating unit with the fingers of the hand of the user exoskeleton manual control signals and connected to the processor unit with the ability to connect Ia therethrough to at least one controller to the drive shaft at least one leg joint orthosis for execution of rotation of said shaft in the angle range defined by said generation unit,

made in the form of flat strain-sensitive elements,

placed with their fastening on two phalanges of the finger of the user's hand exoskeleton or by fitting these sensors into the design of a special glove,

an autonomous means of launching basic software options for turning the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint, consisting of exoskeleton, within the framework of the main types of exoskeleton movements, including walking, and changing the angle of the indicated rotation in program control mode, can be made in the form of a multi-function button with non-fixed state with the ability to switch with this button, the type of programmed movement of exoskeleton and disabling with it the program mode for controlling the operation of exoskeleton with manual the second mode of controlling the operation of the exoskeleton, and this button can be installed with its fixation on the palm of the user's exoskeleton and the possibility of its working contact with one of the phalanges of the fingers,

the interface may include an exoskeleton user torso deviation sensor from the vertical in the sagittal and frontal planes, at least one exoskeleton foot pressure sensor from the supporting surface side, at least one shaft angular velocity sensor of at least one leg joint orthosis in the exoskeleton, and all the listed sensors are connected in a follow-up mode to the processor unit indicated above, as well as a means of delivering information signals to the user of the exoskeleton boiling from at least one shaft rotation angle sensor as the at least one joint orthosis legs and at least one pressure sensor on the foot exoskeleton,

moreover, a means of delivering an exoskeleton to a user of information signals arriving from at least one shaft angle sensor of at least one leg joint orthosis and from at least one exoskeleton foot pressure sensor can be made in the form of an indication unit connected to the processor unit indicated above and placed in the field of view of the user exoskeleton with the attachment of the display unit to his head.

The use of force sensors to generate control signals when pressed with the fingers of an exoskeleton user in exoskeleton of the lower extremities according to the application WO 2015168788, A61F 2/50, A61F 2/60, A61F 2/68, A61F 2/70, 2015 and in the operation control interface exoskeleton of the lower extremities according to the patent US 9158376, G05B 15/02, G06F 3/01, A61F 4/00, B25J 9/00, A61H 1/00, 2015 does not contradict the requirements of the inventive step of the claimed group of inventions, because in the first case, by changing the force of pressing the force sensors, the exoskeleton user adjusts the feedback coefficient in the complicated unbalanced dynamic exoskeleton system between the control drives of the upper rotary links (for the user's hands) and the slave drives of the lower orthoses of the leg joints under low ergonomic conditions, and in the second case, by pressing the force sensors, the user of the exoskeleton adjusts the speed parameter of the movement of the lower extremities of the exoskeleton during walking during I am able to control its operation in the order of the user's current choice of exoskeleton of a predetermined speed without generating an exoskeleton of the user signals that control the exoskeleton of the lower extremities, in the mode of their change, proportional to the change in the torque on the shafts of the orthoses of the leg joints.

In FIG. Figures 1 and 2 show the diagrams of the proposed interface for controlling the exoskeleton of the lower extremities, respectively, based on one orthosis of the hip, knee, or ankle joint in manual control mode and on the basis of two orthoses (for example, the hip and knee) of the joints of the right leg of the user of the exoskeleton and two orthoses of the same joints of the left leg of the user of exoskeleton in program control mode;

in FIG. 3 shown

fixed on two phalanges of two fingers (index and middle) of the right hand of the user of the exoskeleton and on two phalanges of the same fingers of the left hand of the user of the exoskeleton, eight force sensors (one on the phalanx), alternately applied to these sensors when walking to generate manual control signals two phalanges of each of these fingers,

two amplifiers of manual control signals fixed on the wrists of the right and left hands of the user of the exoskeleton, which are part of the unit for generating manual signals with the fingers of the user of the user of the exoskeleton, which specify the range of rotation angles of the shaft of the right and left pairs indicated in FIG. 2 orthoses,

two (for pressing the corresponding button with the thumb of the user's right or left hand — right-handed or left-handed) fixed on the lower parts of the index fingers of the right and left hands of the user of the exoskeleton are multi-function buttons with an unstable state (one on the finger) for each battery to work independently in a view switching mode programmed movement of exoskeleton and disabling the program mode for controlling the operation of exoskeleton with the inclusion of the manual mode for controlling the operation of exoskeleton in the process of erfeysa FIG. 2;

in FIG. 4 shows the interface elements in FIG. 3, mounted on the right hand of the user of exoskeleton, using a crutch of the armpit;

in FIG. 5 and 6 show, respectively, a front perspective view of the lower extremities exoskeleton operating interface included in the program control mode of a separate display unit for delivering exoskeleton information signals to the user through the processor unit from four angle sensors of orthosis shaft rotation in FIG. 3 and 4, and two pressure sensors on the right and left feet of the exoskeleton (one per foot), and two types (in head turns in Figs. 6a and 6b) located in the user's field of vision of the exoskeleton of the same display unit attached to the user's head.

To disclose the implementation of the proposed method for generating signals that control the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities, and using it as the basis for the method of manual control of the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities, the following example of the interface for controlling the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities (as part of one orthosis, for example, the knee joint of the right leg of the user exoskeleton) in manual control mode (see Fig. 1), containing the block generating manual signals with fingers the hands of an exoskeleton user, formed by two sensors 1 for measuring force and an amplifier 2 for manual control signals, a sensor for 3 angles of rotation of the orthosis shaft as part of an exoskeleton, an interface enable button 4 and an exoskeleton motion indication unit 5 in manual operation mode.

Both force measurement sensors 1 are made in the form of flat strain-sensitive elements, placed with their fastening on two phalanges adjacent from the end side, for example, the index finger of the right hand of an exoskeleton user (as shown in Fig. 3, illustrating an example of the execution of the lower limb exoskeleton operation interface in program control mode) and through an amplifier 2 of the manual control signals fixed to the wrist of the right hand of the exoskeleton user (as shown in Fig. 3), are connected to the counter Weller drive shaft 6 of said orthosis.

In this case, the sensor 3 of the angles of rotation of the shaft of the orthosis is connected to the display unit 5 attached to the head of the exoskeleton user with the placement of the block 5 in the user's field of view (as shown in Fig. 6, illustrating an example of execution of the lower limb exoskeleton operation control interface in program control mode), and the interface enable button 4 (which can be fixed on the extreme phalanx from the palm of the index finger of the right hand of an exoskeleton user) is connected to the orthosis shaft drive controller 6 . Moreover, the controller 6 of the orthosis shaft drive is also connected to the indication unit 5 to inform the user of the exoskeleton about the failure of the controller 6 or about the inoperative condition of the discharged battery of the orthosis shaft drive.

Thus, the indicating unit 5 includes an interface turning on indicator 7, an orthosis bend angle indicator 8 and an emergency warning indicator 9 of the emergency condition controller 6 of the orthosis shaft drive or accumulator of the specified drive (similar to that shown in Fig. 5 illustrating an example embodiment control interface of exoskeleton of the lower extremities in program control mode). The display unit 5, oriented to the visual system of the user perception of exoskeleton, can be made oriented to tactile perception with indicators in the form of piezoelectric vibrators on a flexible substrate, placed on the skin of the user exoskeleton (not shown).

The proposed control interface for exoskeleton of the lower extremities in the manual control mode operates as follows.

The main type of exoskeleton movement is walking, which is carried out with manual control by means of sensors 1 of measuring the forces of signals amplified in amplifier 2 and setting the range of angles of rotation of the orthosis shaft necessary for walking in the controller 6 of the orthosis shaft drive as a result of changes in the forces alternately applied to In the present example, two sensors 1 measure the force using two phalanges of the finger of the user's hand exoskeleton to rotate the shaft of the orthosis in two opposite directions.

Moreover, the proposed change in the amplitudes of the mentioned signals is proportional to the change in the moments of forces developed on the shaft of the orthosis, which is due to the calibration of the force measurement sensors 1 with the possibility of generating manual control signals with amplitudes proportional to the moments of the forces developed on the shaft of the orthosis and provided by the proportional change in the forces exerted to these sensors with the corresponding phalanges of the user's finger.

The indicated change in the amplitudes of the manual control signals generated by the force measurement sensors 1 leads to a saving in the amplitudes of the movements of the lower extremity of the exoskeleton inherent in human physiology when changing (restructuring) the step, and improves ergonomics of controlling the movement of exaskeleton, which consists in eliminating the disadvantages inherent in controlling the movement of exoskeleton using force sensors, the control signal of which is proportional to the angular speeds of rotation of the shaft of the orthosis (in the present example of the knee) with stava and which when walking in difficult conditions, due to the thresholds, curbs and other irregularities in the support surface, causes an automatic increase of force developed orthosis (with excessive amplitude movements of the lower exoskeleton limbs) due compensation shaft speed loss orthosis joint from these external factors.

Such exoskeleton movements, such as lifting and landing, when the proposed interface for controlling the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities is operated in manual mode, are carried out by providing pre-selected training efforts, alternately exerted on two force measurement sensors 1 using two phalanges of the exoskeleton user’s finger.

The indication unit 5 facilitates the user to manually control the exoskeleton movement as a result of visual monitoring of the bend angles of the knee joint orthosis due to the signals received by the indicator 8 of the bend angle of the orthosis from the sensor 3 of the shaft rotation angles of this orthosis.

To disclose the use of the proposed method for generating signals that control the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities, an example of an interface for controlling the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities (consisting of four orthoses, in particular, an orthosis of the hip joint and an orthosis of the knee joint of the right leg of a user of exoskeleton and two orthoses of the same joints of the left leg) is proposed exoskeleton user) in program control mode (see Fig. 2), containing four sensors 3 shaft rotation angles and four sensors 1 0 angular rotational speeds of the shafts of the four indicated orthoses of the joints of the legs of the user of the exoskeleton, a sensor 11 of the deviation of the torso of the user of the exoskeleton from the vertical in the sagittal and frontal planes, two sensors 12 for pressure on the right and left feet of the exoskeleton from the supporting surface (one for each foot of the exoskeleton) and the processor unit 13, necessary for the functioning of the interface in program control mode, a multifunction button 14 with a non-fixed state with the ability to switch the type of prog exoskeleton frame movement and disabling exoskeleton program control mode with the exoskeleton manual control mode on, exoskeleton user hand signal generation unit consisting of two parts formed by each (right and left) with four force measurement sensors 1 and one amplifier 2 signals of manual control, and an exoskeleton motion display unit 15 in the program control mode of its operation.

Four sensors 3 of rotation angles of the shafts and four sensors 10 of angular velocities of rotation of the shafts of four specified orthoses of the joints of the legs of the user of the exoskeleton, a sensor 11 of the deviation of the torso of the user of the exoskeleton from the vertical in the sagittal and frontal planes, two pressure sensors 12 on the right and left feet of the exoskeleton from the side the supporting surface is connected in a follow-up mode to the processor unit 13.

The multi-function button 14 with a non-fixed state (see FIG. 3) is fixed on the extreme phalanx from the palm of the index finger of the right hand of the user of the exoskeleton and connected to the processor unit 13. FIG. 3 also shows the second button 14, mounted on the extreme phalanx from the side of the palm of the index finger of the left hand of the exoskeleton user and parallel connected to the processor unit 13 for ease of operation of the exoskeleton by the left-handed user.

Eight force measurement sensors 1 (see Fig. 3) are made in the form of flat strain-sensitive elements, placed in two with their fastening on two phalanges adjacent to the end, index and middle fingers of the right and left hands of the user of the exoskeleton and through two signal amplifiers 2 manual controls, fixed one at a time on the wrists of the right and left hands of the user of the exoskeleton, are connected to the processor unit 13.

The processor unit 13 (see Fig. 5) is connected to four controllers 16 of the shaft drives of the four orthoses indicated above and is connected to the indication unit 15, which includes an indicator 17 of the current submode of program control of exoskeleton operation, four indicators 18 of the bend angles of the four specified orthoses , two indicators 19 of pressure on the right and left feet of the exoskeleton and indicator 20 warning about the failure of the controllers 16, the processor unit 13 or the discharged battery of the drives of the orthosis shafts and is attached to the head exoskeleton user with the placement of block 15 in the field of view of the user (see Fig. 6).

The functioning of the proposed interface for controlling the exoskeleton of the lower extremities in the program control mode provides the following working sub-modes of its operation.

In total, six working submodes are supported:

a) the drives are disabled (initial mode);

b) lifting (getting up from a chair);

c) vertically;

d) step movement in program control mode;

e) step movement in manual control mode;

e) landing (lowering on a chair).

Switching the interface on / off and switching from one working submode to another working submode (including corrective changes in the angles of rotation of the shafts of four orthoses) is carried out by pressing the exoskeleton by the user, for example, on the multifunction button 14 placed on his right hand with an unstable state.

The initial sub-mode is “drives disabled” (after turning on the interface power by briefly pressing button 14 once, the shaft drives of four orthoses are not turned on). In this mode, the indicator 17 of the current exoskeleton operation control mode displays the symbol 0.

When the button 14 is pressed twice briefly, the symbol B is displayed on the indicator 17 and the interface switches to the “rise” submode within the basic program options for turning the orthosis shafts, during which the drives of the four orthosis shafts turn on and work out the sequence: torso forward, simultaneous extension of the right and left orthoses of the knee joints, simultaneous extension of the right and left orthoses of the hip joints, the transition to the "vertical" mode.

The torso angles, the bending angles of these orthoses and the shaft rotation speed of two orthoses of the hip and knee joints are controlled by the interface according to the readings of four sensors 3 angles of rotation of the shaft of these orthoses and four sensors 10 of the angular velocity of the shaft of these orthoses, as well as the user’s torsion deflection sensor 11 exoskeleton from the vertical in the sagittal and frontal planes.

In the submode "vertically", the drives of the shafts of the indicated orthoses are blocked, and the symbol I is displayed on the indicator 17.

From the “vertical” submode, the interface can transfer the exoskeleton within the basic program options for turning the orthosis shafts into the “step by step in program control mode” submode as a result of a single long press on button 14, in which the symbol P. is displayed on indicator 17.

In this submode, exoskeleton movement is controlled by tilting the torso left-forward (step with the right foot) and right-forward (step with the left foot). The command to perform the step with the non-supporting foot is formed on the basis of the data on the torso tilt, issued by the sensor 11 and data on the pressure on the foot of the exoskeleton, issued by the pressure sensors 12 of the supporting surface on the feet. The leg is considered to be the supporting one, the pressure on the foot of which is maximum, the step is made by the non-supporting leg, provided the pilot's torso is tilted forward and towards the supporting leg. Alternately tilting the torso to the right and left with the support devices (crutches, walkers), the exoskeleton user achieves movement in the desired direction at the desired speed, which is entered into the processor unit 13 based on the readings of four sensors 3 angles of rotation of the shafts of the indicated orthoses and four sensors 10 of angular velocity turning the shafts of these orthoses. Movement parameters: the height of the foot and step length entered in the processing unit 13 in advance.

When exoskeleton moves, four indicators 18 show the current bending angles of four joint orthoses, and two indicators 19 show pressure levels on the right and left exoskeleton feet.

From the “vertical” submode, the interface can transfer the exoskeleton within the basic program options for turning the orthosis shafts into the “step by step in manual control” submode as a result of two long presses on button 14, during which the exoskeleton program control mode is switched off and the manual control mode is turned on the work of exoskeleton and the indicator 17 displays the symbol P.

In this submode, exoskeleton movement is controlled by squeezing / unclenching four fingers of the right and left hands of the exoskeleton user by changing the pressure exerted by the phalanges of these fingers onto eight sensors 1 of force measurement by supporting these sensors, for example, on the surface of the arms of two crutches of the armpits (see fingers with four sensors 1 measuring the efforts of the right palm of the user in Fig. 4).

In contrast to the programmed step motion control, the processor unit 13 does not generate commands for taking steps one by one within the framework of this type of the basic program variant of turning the orthosis shafts, but sends (by switching) in the manual step motion control mode the signals generated by four pairs of force measuring sensors 1 and amplified two amplifiers 2 into the corresponding four controllers 16 drives the shafts of the four specified orthoses.

In this case, the control interface of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities in the program control mode operates in the operating mode described above in the case of the control interface of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities in the manual control mode with a change in the amplitudes of the signals generated by the force measurement sensors 1 in proportion to the change in the moments of forces developed on the shafts orthoses, as a result of alternately exerting efforts on these sensors when walking to generate the mentioned signals by two phalanges of fingers User uk rotatable shaft orthoses in two mutually antithetical directions

The above changes in the amplitudes of the signals generated by the force measurement sensors 1 are due to the calibration of the force measurement sensors 1 with the possibility of generating manual control signals with amplitudes proportional to the moments of forces developed on the orthosis shafts and provided by a proportional change in the forces exerted on these sensors by the corresponding phalanxes of the user's finger exoskeleton.

From the “vertical” submode, the interface can transfer the exoskeleton within the basic program options for turning the orthosis shafts into the “landing” submode as a result of three short presses on button 14, in which the symbol N is displayed on the indicator 17.

In this case, the drives of the shafts of four orthoses fulfill the sequence: torso forward, simultaneous bending of the right and left orthoses of the knee joints, simultaneous bending of the right and left orthoses of the hip joints, switching to the "drives disabled" mode.

The torso angles, the bending angles of these orthoses and the shaft rotation speed of two orthoses of the hip and knee joints are controlled by the interface according to the readings of four sensors 3 angles of rotation of the shaft of these orthoses and four sensors 10 of the angular velocity of the shaft of these orthoses, as well as the user’s torsion deflection sensor 11 exoskeleton from the vertical in the sagittal and frontal planes, after which the 0 symbol is displayed on indicator 17.

In addition to the indicator 17 of the current submode of exoskeleton program control, four indicators 18 of the bend angles of the four indicated orthoses, two indicators of pressure on the right and left feet of the exoskeleton, and an indicator 20 for warning about the failure of the controllers 16, the processor unit 13, or the discharged battery of the drives of the orthosis shafts as part of the display unit 15 increase the efficiency of using the exoskeleton in program control mode.

Sensors 3 angles of rotation of the orthosis shafts can be performed using potentiometers, as well as optical or magnetic inclinometers. As the sensor 11 of the deviation of the torso of the exoskeleton user from the vertical in the sagittal and frontal planes, a 3-axis MEMS sensor can be used that combines the functions of a gyroscope and an accelerometer. For the manufacture of sensors 12 of the pressure of the supporting surface on the feet of the exoskeleton and sensors 1 of the force measurement can be applied film strain gauges.

Thus, the proposed method for generating signals that control the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities is effective both in the case of the implementation on its basis of an autonomous ergonomic method of manual control of the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities and the interface for its implementation, and in the case of its implementation as an ergonomic submode "step movement in manual control mode ”organically included in the operation of the control interface of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities in the program control mode water flow and ensuring stable performance of exoskeleton in complicated traffic conditions in increments of the supporting surface with obstacles to the specified movement (irregularities in the form of borders, thresholds, steps, etc.).

Claims (17)

1. A method of generating signals that control the operation of the exoskeleton of the lower extremities and sets the range of angles of rotation of the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint in the specified exoskeleton necessary for walking, by generating these signals due to the efforts of the user of the exoskeleton using the means of generating these signals, characterized in that the mentioned signals are generated in accordance with the condition of changing their amplitude in proportion to the change in the moment of force developed on the shaft of the specified orthosis. 2. A method for manually controlling the operation of an exoskeleton of the lower extremities by generating signals in accordance with the method of claim 1 using at least one finger of an exoskeleton user, characterized in that the amplitude of said signals is changed in proportion to the change in the moment of force developed on the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint in the composition of exoskeleton, by changing the force alternately exerted on at least two force measurement sensors using two phalanges of the finger of the user's hand exoskeleton d I turn the shaft of said orthosis in two mutually antithetical directions. 3. The interface for controlling the operation of the lower limb exoskeleton in manual control mode, comprising a unit for generating, with the user's fingers, exoskeleton of manual control signals that specify the range of shaft rotation angles of at least one leg joint orthosis included in the specified exoskeleton and directed to at least one a shaft drive of said orthosis, characterized in that the unit for generating, with the fingers of a hand of a user, an exoskeleton of manual control signals is made based on how the minimum of two force measurement sensors, alternately applied to these sensors when walking to generate the mentioned signals by two phalanges of the user's finger with the ability to rotate the shaft of the specified orthosis in two opposite directions, and these force measurement sensors are calibrated with the possibility of generating manual control signals with amplitudes proportional to moments of forces developed on the shaft of the specified orthosis, and provided by a proportional change in the forces exerted on these sensors indicated phalanges of the user's finger. 4. The interface according to claim 3, characterized in that at least two force measurement sensors are mounted with their fixation to the exoskeleton user's palm and the possibility of their working contact with two phalanges of the finger and connected to an amplifier of manual control signals generated by these sensors and setting the rotation angle shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint in two opposite directions, mounted on the wrist of one of the hands of the user of the exoskeleton, forming with these sensors the production unit using ltsev arm exoskeleton user manual control signals and the connected at least one controller to the drive shaft at least one leg joint orthosis for execution of rotation of said shaft in the angle range defined by said generation unit. 5. The interface according to claim 4, characterized in that at least two force measuring sensors are made in the form of flat strain-sensitive elements and placed with their fastening on two phalanges of the exoskeleton user's finger or built into a special glove design. 6. The interface according to claim 3, characterized in that it includes at least one sensor of the angle of rotation of the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint in the composition of exoskeleton and a means of delivering information signals from the sensor to the user of the exoskeleton. 7. The interface according to claim 6, characterized in that the means of delivery to the user of the exoskeleton of information signals received from at least one sensor of the angle of rotation of the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint is made in the form of an indication unit connected to this sensor and placed in the field of view an exoskeleton user with an indication unit attached to his head. 8. The interface for controlling the operation of the lower limb exoskeleton in program control mode, comprising at least one shaft angle sensor of at least one leg joint orthosis as part of the exoskeleton, a processor unit for generating signals defining a programmatically limited range of shaft angles of rotation of the specified orthosis, based on reading signals coming from the specified sensor, equipped with an autonomous means of starting basic software options for turning the shaft of the specified orthosis within the main types of movement of exoskeleton, including walking, and changing the angle of the indicated rotation in program control mode and connected to at least one drive of the shaft of the specified orthosis, characterized in that the proposed interface is equipped with an additional unit for generating, with the help of the user's fingers, exoskeleton of manual control signals specifying the necessary for walking in complicated conditions, the range of angles of rotation of the shaft of the specified orthosis, connected to the said processor unit with the ability to disable the program mode adjusting the operation of the exoskeleton and turning on the manual mode for controlling the operation of the exoskeleton and made on the basis of at least two force measurement sensors alternately applied to these sensors when walking to generate the mentioned signals by two phalanges of the user's finger with the ability to rotate the shaft of the specified orthosis in two opposite directions, and these force measurement sensors are calibrated with the possibility of generating manual control signals with amplitudes proportional to the forces of forces developed on the shaft of the specified orthosis, and provided by a proportional change in the forces exerted on these sensors by the indicated phalanges of the user's finger. 9. The interface according to claim 8, characterized in that at least two force measuring sensors are mounted with their fixation to the exoskeleton user's palm and the possibility of their working contact with two phalanges of the finger and connected to an amplifier of manual control signals that specify rotation of the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint in two opposite directions, mounted on the wrist of one of the hands of the user of the exoskeleton, forming with these sensors a block for generating, using the fingers of the hand of the user of the exoskeleton, Foot control and the attached to the processor unit to couple therethrough to at least one controller to the drive shaft at least one leg joint orthosis for execution of rotation of said shaft in the angle range defined by said generation unit. 10. The interface according to claim 9, characterized in that at least two force measuring sensors are made in the form of flat strain-sensitive elements and placed with their fastening on two phalanges of the exoskeleton user's finger or by fitting these sensors into the design of a special glove. 11. The interface according to claim 8, characterized in that the stand-alone means of launching the basic software options for turning the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint in the exoskeleton within the main types of exoskeleton movements, including walking, and changing the angle of the specified rotation in program control mode in the form of a multifunctional button with an unstable state connected to the processor unit with the ability to switch the type of exoskeleton program motion with this button and disable the program using it Nogo mode control the operation of exoskeleton with the inclusion of a manual operation control mode exoskeleton. 12. The interface according to claim 11, characterized in that the multifunction button with non-fixed state is installed with its fixation on the palm of the user's exoskeleton and the possibility of working contact with one of the phalanges of the fingers. 13. The interface according to claim 8, characterized in that it includes an exoskeleton user torso deviation sensor from the vertical in the sagittal and frontal planes, connected in a follow-up mode to the processor unit. 14. The interface according to claim 8, characterized in that it includes at least one exoskeleton foot pressure sensor from the supporting surface side, connected in a follow-up mode to the processor unit. 15. The interface according to claim 8, characterized in that it includes at least one sensor of the angular velocity of rotation of the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint in the exoskeleton, connected in a follow-up mode to the processor unit. 16. The interface according to claim 8, characterized in that it includes a means for delivering an exoskeleton to the user of information signals arriving from at least one shaft angle sensor of at least one leg joint orthosis and from at least one exoskeleton foot pressure sensor. 17. The interface according to claim 16, characterized in that the means for delivering an exoskeleton to the user of information signals received from at least one sensor of the angle of rotation of the shaft of at least one orthosis of the leg joint and at least one pressure sensor on the foot of the exoskeleton is made in the form of an indication unit connected to the processor unit and placed in the field of view of the user of the exoskeleton with the display unit attached to his head.

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