Design and computer simulation of a Human-Machine Interaction-Force controlled powered upper-limb exoskeleton

One of the main challenges of exoskeleton design lies in its Human-Machine Interface, where Brain-Machine Interface control systems have yet to provide satisfactory levels of robustness and performance for practical use [1]. A HMIF (Human-Machine Interactive Force) based control system was proposed to provide a relatively simple and potentially more robust alternative for exoskeleton control [1]. To assess the viability of the proposed exoskeleton control system, a realistic CAD (Computer Aided Design) model of a 3-DoF (Degree of Freedom) upper-limb exoskeleton was created to form a realistic basis for the HMIFCS (HMIF Control System) simulation model. Simulation results were used to guide the development of optimized torque assist curves, which were shown to provide safe and effective load attenuation, as well as maximize free-motion performance.