The actuation systems of lower limbs exoskeletons have been extensively investigated and, presently, a great effort is aimed at reducing the weight and improving the efficiency, thus increasing the operating range for battery-operated devices. In this work, an innovative and more efficient actuation system to power the knee joint is proposed. The key and nonconventional elements of this alternative design are a flywheel and a micro infinitely variable transmission (IVT). This particular powertrain configuration permits to exploit efficiently the dynamics of human locomotion, which offers the possibility to recover energy. By means of simulations of level ground walking and running, it is here demonstrated how storing energy in the flywheel permits to reduce the energy consumption and to downsize the electric motor.
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February 2016
Research-Article
An Innovative Design of Artificial Knee Joint Actuator With Energy Recovery Capabilities
Roberta Alò,
Roberta Alò
Dipartimento di Meccanica,
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: roberta.alo@poliba.it
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: roberta.alo@poliba.it
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Francesco Bottiglione,
Francesco Bottiglione
Dipartimento di Meccanica,
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: francesco.bottiglione@poliba.it
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: francesco.bottiglione@poliba.it
Search for other works by this author on:
Giacomo Mantriota
Giacomo Mantriota
Dipartimento di Meccanica,
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: giacomo.mantriota@poliba.it
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: giacomo.mantriota@poliba.it
Search for other works by this author on:
Roberta Alò
Dipartimento di Meccanica,
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: roberta.alo@poliba.it
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: roberta.alo@poliba.it
Francesco Bottiglione
Dipartimento di Meccanica,
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: francesco.bottiglione@poliba.it
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: francesco.bottiglione@poliba.it
Giacomo Mantriota
Dipartimento di Meccanica,
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: giacomo.mantriota@poliba.it
Matematica e Management,
Politecnico di Bari,
Viale Japigia 182,
Bari 70126, Italy
e-mail: giacomo.mantriota@poliba.it
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received October 29, 2014; final manuscript received March 3, 2015; published online August 18, 2015. Assoc. Editor: James Schmiedeler.
J. Mechanisms Robotics. Feb 2016, 8(1): 011009 (8 pages)
Published Online: August 18, 2015
Article history
Received:
October 29, 2014
Revision Received:
March 3, 2015
Citation
Alò, R., Bottiglione, F., and Mantriota, G. (August 18, 2015). "An Innovative Design of Artificial Knee Joint Actuator With Energy Recovery Capabilities." ASME. J. Mechanisms Robotics. February 2016; 8(1): 011009. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4030056
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