Control of a Back-Support Exoskeleton to Assist Carrying Activities

TL;DR

This study develops and tests two control strategies for an active back-support exoskeleton to assist carrying tasks, demonstrating reduced lumbar load and improved usability during real-world experiments.

Contribution

Introduces two novel control strategies for back-support exoskeletons tailored to carrying tasks, expanding their application beyond lifting assistance.

Findings

Exoskeleton assistance reduces lumbar load during carrying.

Control strategies do not hinder natural gait movement.

Participants report improved usability with exoskeleton assistance.

Abstract

Back-support exoskeletons are commonly used in the workplace to reduce low back pain risk for workers performing demanding activities. However, for the assistance of tasks differing from lifting, back-support exoskeletons potential has not been exploited extensively. This work focuses on the use of an active back-support exoskeleton to assist carrying. Two control strategies are designed that modulate the exoskeleton torques to comply with the task assistance requirements. In particular, two gait phase detection frameworks are exploited to adapt the assistance according to the legs' motion. The two strategies are assessed through an experimental analysis on ten subjects. Carrying task is performed without and with the exoskeleton assistance. Results prove the potential of the presented controls in assisting the task without hindering the gait movement and improving the usability experienced by users. Moreover, the exoskeleton assistance significantly reduces the lumbar load associated with the task, demonstrating its promising use for risk mitigation in the workplace.