Digital Fluid Power for Exoskeleton Actuation – Guidelines, Opportunities, Challenges

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceedings

Abstract

Exoskeleton technology is currently getting a strong momentum by increasing academic and industrial R&D work, by the foundation of new enterprises, and by rising sales numbers. More and more rumours are circulating about hydraulic actuation. Hydraulics companies are exploring the business opportunities as a basis to decide on investments in the development of appropriate hydraulic actuation technologies. This paper starts with some insight into the state of the art of exoskeletons and actuation technologies. General requirements are discussed first. More specific ones are studied by the simulation of a knee joint actuator for two specific motions, a squat and fast walking. Finally, the concept of a digital hydraulic cylinder and its control by a hydraulic binary counter for a knee joint is presented. It is assessed by these two motions and some design aspects are discussed.
Original languageGerman (Austria)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 9th Workshop on Digital Fluid Power (DFP17)
Editors Torben O. Andderson, Henrik C. Pedersen
Place of PublicationAalborg, Denmark
PublisherAalborg University
Number of pages12
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2017

Fields of science

  • 203 Mechanical Engineering
  • 203015 Mechatronics

JKU Focus areas

  • Mechatronics and Information Processing

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