Development of Properties Control Methods for Magnetorheological Medium to Regulate the Stiffness of Exoskeleton Variable-Length Link

   Introduction. The article investigated one of the problems of creating exoskeletons — controlling the properties of magnetic rheological fluid in links of variable length with adjustable stiffness. Based on the research of domestic and foreign authors, the development and urgency of the topic was evaluated. The disadvantage of known exoskeleton models has been specified, i.e., the use of absolutely solid links, whose dynamics does not convey the dynamics of the human musculoskeletal system.   The scientific research aimed at the formation of a new direction in the development of exoskeletons that accurately simulate the biomechanics of movements.   Materials and Methods. Different states of structures of variable-length links with a magnetorheological fluid were studied. It has been noted that the links work on the principle of magnetic shock absorbers and consist of a piston rod, electromagnetic coils, and a housing filled with magnetorheological fluid. The ordering effect of an external magnetic field on the particles of a magnetorheological fluid was visualized and mathematically presented. The significance of such factors as time, charge density, magnetic field strength, as well as vectors of electric and magnetic induction, electric intensity and electric current density for this system was shown. The input parameter affecting the behavior of the magnetorheological fluid was determined. This was the magnetic field intensity. It was shown that the viscosity of the liquid varied depending on the shape of the magnetic particles (oblong or oblate ellipsoid).   Results. The dependences that were fundamental for solving the task were investigated and visualized. The magnetic field strength and the angle between the vector directed along a straight line connecting the centers of two micron particles, and the vector of the external magnetic field strength were taken as the basic parameters. It was shown how the magnetic moment, voltage and its antisymmetric part depended on them. It was established that to control the properties of a magnetorheological fluid, it was required to change: – the external magnetic field intensity; – the angle between the external magnetic field intensity and the orientation vector between the dipoles. Two values of force were compared: one – for a given link design, and the other — fixed when walking in the lower leg of a person. The consistency of these indicators was established.   Discussion and Conclusion. The scientific research results allowed us to present: – a method for controlling the properties of a magnetorheological fluid by an external magnetic field; – a variable-length link model with adjustable stiffness. The results obtained can be used in modeling multilink structures to create comfortable exoskeletons that interact synchronously with the human musculoskeletal system as a single human-machine system. The development is applicable to solving significant social and economic problems.