Wearable gait assistance robot control device and method

Wearable Gait Assistance Robot Control Technology Utilizing Residual Muscle Strength via EMG Analysis

This technology is a control device and method for a wearable gait assistance robot that measures a user's muscle activity signals using EMG sensors, quantifies muscle strength through signal analysis, and controls the level of assistance by subtracting the user's residual muscle strength from the total power required for robot operation, thereby encouraging active muscle engagement.

Existing gait assistance robots focus on supporting patients with complete paralysis. When used by patients with partial muscle strength, these robots often lead to total reliance, resulting in muscle atrophy or risks of injury due to a lack of synchronization between the user's muscle movements and the robot's assistance.

This technology analyzes current muscle strength based on EMG signals and calculates the necessary assistance by subtracting the user's strength from the total required power, while setting the driving power at a predetermined lower ratio to encourage voluntary muscle participation. It can be used for stroke rehabilitation and gait training for the elderly, preventing robot dependency and enabling active rehabilitation that enhances residual muscle strength.

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Key Features:

• A biosignal sensing unit that detects biosignals from a user wearing a wearable gait assistance robot
• A signal analysis unit that quantitatively analyzes the user's current muscle strength based on the EMG signals detected by the biosignal sensing unit
• A robot drive control unit that regulates the robot's operating power based on the analyzed muscle strength of the user
• A configuration that determines the level of assistance by subtracting the user's muscle strength from the power required for the intended movement