Test-Stand Experimental Analysis of RoboWalk Weight Assisting Performance

The increment in elder population has been the main cause of exoskeletons and rehabilitation robots development. Studies have proven that assistive robots are more effective in limb empowerment and rehabilitation than traditional ways. A lower-limb assistive robot called RoboWalk has been designed in ARAS lab at K. N. Toosi University of Technology to help compensate user weight when moving. This study reviews the RoboWalk weight assisting robot and illustrates its Test-Stand more thoroughly with updated modifications and parts. Test-Stand system features and operational specifications are then described. Then, system kinetics and kinematics are also explained. Finally, the weight assisting performance of RoboWalk is analyzed. Results show that the gait generating mechanism creates a singularity in Test-Stand system that causes a decrease in the assisting force. It is concluded that this issue is only related to the Test-Stand and does not appear in the actual RoboWalk robot. Nevertheless, Solutions to avoid this in Test-Stand including back and forth simulation of the gait and maximum motor torque limitation are also suggested.