A Parallel Compliant Leg for energy efficient walking of exoskeleton–walker systems

Lower limb exoskeletons have garnered significant attention for their effectiveness in gait training for paraplegic patients. For patients with insufficient trunk or upper limb strength to maintain balance, employing an unpowered robotic walker with an exoskeleton for gait training is an effective approach. The energy efficiency of the actuation system is a pivotal consideration in the design of the exoskeleton–walker system due to its significant influence on the system’s durability and service efficiency. The main contribution of this paper is the development of a Parallel Compliant Leg (PCL) for the exoskeleton–walker system. The PCL consists of both powered legs of the exoskeleton and a passive flexible mechanism within the walker. This integration allows for the storage and release of energy during cyclic walking, resulting in reduced system energy consumption. To enhance energy efficiency, the support force optimization of the flexible mechanism is established. Based on this optimization, a design scheme and parameter optimization for the flexible mechanism are proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed flexible mechanism is verified through simulations on a robot simulation platform. Experimental results demonstrate a remarkable 67.6% reduction in system energy consumption achieved by the optimized mechanism.