A systematic graph-based method for the kinematic synthesis of non-anthropomorphic wearable robots for the lower limbs

The choice of non-anthropomorphic kinematic solutions for wearable robots is motivated both by the necessity of improving the ergonomics of physical Human-Robot Interaction and by the chance of exploiting the intrinsic dynamical properties of the robotic structure so to improve its performances. Under these aspects, this new class of robotic solutions is potentially advantageous over the one of anthropomorphic robotic orthoses. However, the process of kinematic synthesis of non-anthropomorphic wearable robots can be too complex to be solved uniquely by relying on conventional synthesis methods, due to the large number of open design parameters. A systematic approach can be useful for this purpose, since it allows to obtain the complete list of independent kinematic solutions with desired properties. In this perspective, this paper presents a method, which allows to generalize the problem of kinematic synthesis of a non-anthropomorphic wearable robot for the assistance of a specified set of contiguous body segments. The methodology also includes two novel tests, specifically devised to solve the problem of enumeration of kinematic structures of wearable robots: the HR-isomorphism and the HR-degeneracy tests. This method has been implemented to derive the atlas of independent kinematic solutions suitable to be used for the kinematic design of a planar wearable robot for the lower limbs. © 2011 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.