Generating Electricity During Locomotion Modes Dominated by Negative Work via a Knee Energy-Harvesting Exoskeleton

Wu, Xinyu1,2,3; Cao, Wujing1,2,3; Yu, Hongliu4; Zhang, Zhewen4; Leng, Yuquan5; Zhang, Mingming5

2022

10.1109/TMECH.2022.3157848

IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics   影响因子和分区

1941-014X

1941-014X

The capability to generate electricity from human motion can reduce the battery requirements for wearable devices. The key challenge faced by wearable energy harvesters is the generation of sufficient power without interfering with the wearer. To our knowledge, currently available joint-motion energy harvesters are all for level walking (LW). In this study, we developed an energy-harvesting exoskeleton that can generate electricity during LW, downhill walking (DW), and stair descent (SD) without sensors. Bi-directional knee motion is transformed to the unidirectional rotation of the generator by one-way bearing and appropriate gear train. The average electricity generated by each leg for the three modes of walking is 5.4 +/- 0.8W (LW, 5 km/h), 6.5 +/- 0.6W (DW, 5 km/h), and 8.2 +/- 0.4W (SD, 4 stairs/s), respectively. The Pearson coefficients of the knee angle under exo-ON and no-exo conditions are 0.995 (LW), 0.996 (DW), and 0.999 (SD), respectively. The cost of harvesting is -0.006 (LW) and -0.01 (DW). The increase in the metabolic rate in energy harvesting ON condition is merely 2.3% (LW) and 1.6% (DW) compared to the no-exo condition. There is no significant increase in the metabolic cost while generating electricity (P = 0.363, LW; P = 0.662, DW). In summary, the knee energy-harvesting exoskeleton developed in this study can generate substantial and sustainable electricity with little extra effort, which indicates its potential as a means to charge-powered portable exoskeletons and prosthetics.

Biomimetic design electricity generation energy harvesting knee motion wearable devices

SCI

英语

其他

National Natural Science Foundation of China["62003327","62125307"] ; NSFC-Shenzhen Robotics Research Center Project[U2013207] ; Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation[2021A1515011699]

Automation & Control Systems ; Engineering

Automation & Control Systems ; Engineering, Manufacturing ; Engineering, Electrical & Electronic ; Engineering, Mechanical

WOS:000777251100001

IEEE-INST ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS INC

ENGINEERING

IEEE

1.Chinese Acad Sci, Shenzhen Inst Adv Technol, Guangdong Prov Key Lab Robot & Intelligent Syst, Shenzhen 518005, Peoples R China
2.Shenzhen Inst Artificial Intelligence & Robot Soc, SIAT Branch, Shenzhen 518005, Peoples R China
3.Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Joint Lab Human Machine, Shenzhen 518005, Peoples R China
4.Univ Shanghai Sci & Technol, Inst Rehabil Engn & Technol, Shanghai 200093, Peoples R China
5.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Mech & Energy Engn, Shenzhen Key Lab Biomimet Robot & Intelligent Sys, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China

Wu, Xinyu,Cao, Wujing,Yu, Hongliu,et al. Generating Electricity During Locomotion Modes Dominated by Negative Work via a Knee Energy-Harvesting Exoskeleton[J]. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics,2022,PP(99):1-11.

Wu, Xinyu,Cao, Wujing,Yu, Hongliu,Zhang, Zhewen,Leng, Yuquan,&Zhang, Mingming.(2022).Generating Electricity During Locomotion Modes Dominated by Negative Work via a Knee Energy-Harvesting Exoskeleton.IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics,PP(99),1-11.

Wu, Xinyu,et al."Generating Electricity During Locomotion Modes Dominated by Negative Work via a Knee Energy-Harvesting Exoskeleton".IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics PP.99(2022):1-11.