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JRM Vol.32 No.5 pp. 885-893
doi: 10.20965/jrm.2020.p0885
(2020)

Paper:

Development of Semi-Crouching Assistive Device Using Pneumatic Artificial Muscle

Naoki Saito*, Daisuke Furukawa**, Toshiyuki Satoh**, and Norihiko Saga***

*Department of Intelligent Mechatronics, Akita Prefectural University
84-4 Ebinokuchi, Tsuchiya, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0055, Japan

**Department of Intelligent Mechatronics, Akita Prefectural University
84-4 Ebinokuchi, Tsuchiya, Yurihonjo, Akita 015-0055, Japan

***Department of Human System Engineering, Kwansei Gakuin University
2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan

Received:
March 19, 2020
Accepted:
July 27, 2020
Published:
October 20, 2020
Keywords:
pneumatic artificial muscle, power assistive device, semi-crouching position, electromyogram
Abstract

This paper describes a semi-crouching assistive device using pneumatic artificial muscles. The goal of this device is to reduce the load on the lower back when performing work in the semi-crouching position. The load on the lower back is reduced by decreasing the compressive pressure on the lumbar disk of the lower back. This compressive pressure increases as the contraction force of the erector spine increases. Therefore, it is important to reduce the muscle activity of the erector spine. Based on the analytical result of a worker’s position model, the proposed device adopts a scheme to push the chest of the user as an appropriate assistive method. Additionally, the analytical result shows that a reduction in weight of the device is also important for decreasing the load on the lower back. Based on these results, we prototyped a lightweight semi-crouching assistive device that can generate sufficient assistive force via a pneumatic artificial muscle, which has high power to weight ratio. This device was experimentally evaluated via electromyogram of the erector spine when the user maintains a semi-crouching position. The experimental results confirmed the usefulness of this device.

Proposed semi-crouching assistive device (SCADev)

Proposed semi-crouching assistive device (SCADev)

Cite this article as:
N. Saito, D. Furukawa, T. Satoh, and N. Saga, “Development of Semi-Crouching Assistive Device Using Pneumatic Artificial Muscle,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.32 No.5, pp. 885-893, 2020.
Data files:
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