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@PHDTHESIS{Bergmann:999822,
author = {Bergmann, Lukas Manuel},
othercontributors = {Leonhardt, Steffen and Riener, Robert},
title = {{T}owards enhanced rehabilitation: modeling and control of
lower limb exoskeletons for human-robot cooperation and
fatigue management},
school = {Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen},
type = {Dissertation},
address = {Aachen},
publisher = {RWTH Aachen University},
reportid = {RWTH-2024-12329},
pages = {1 Online-Ressource : Illustrationen},
year = {2024},
note = {Veröffentlicht auf dem Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen
University 2025; Dissertation, Rheinisch-Westfälische
Technische Hochschule Aachen, 2024},
abstract = {The marvel of human walking is a complex combination of
intricate control strategies, but it can be disrupted by
injuries and illnesses such as strokes. The prevalence of
the resulting gait disorders remains an acute global health
challenge affecting millions of people. Early and intensive
rehabilitation is crucial for recovery. Traditional
rehabilitation methods require significant financial and
human resources, leading to an increased interest in
rehabilitation robotics. In addition, aging demographics
will increase the need for home-based care, increasing the
need for rehabilitation robotics and ultimately promoting
greater autonomy for individuals. For optimal rehabilitation
outcomes, it is important that patients actively initiate
movements themselves, as this kind of motor learning is
crucial for stimulating neuroplasticity. Exoskeletons that
prioritize patient-initiated actions and adapt in real-time
to user intent could benefit clinical and everyday settings.
The realization requires precise sensing of movement
intention and utilizing advanced control strategies to
support the patient's movement while prioritizing safety
through hardware and software solutions. The goal of this
dissertation is to explore design and control methods of
lower limb exoskeletons to enhance robot-assisted
rehabilitation. The investigated approach designates the
user as the central controller, underscoring the robot's
role in responding to, rather than dictating, human
movements. Additionally, this thesis examines the potential
of exoskeletons as both a diagnostic and intervention tool
for muscle fatigue - a prevalent and debilitating symptom
among individuals with gait disorders. The first task of
this thesis describes the hardware design of a new active
lower-limb exoskeleton based on variable stiffness actuators
for hip and knee assistance to ensure a safe
human-exoskeleton coupling. By estimating the user's joint
torque in real-time through a coupled human-exoskeleton
model for both swing and stance phases, a novel
human-cooperative controller is developed to augment user
movement. The control strategy is validated on the newly
designed exoskeleton. Additionally, a control concept for
the varying serial elasticity is proposed to combine the
advantageous high bandwidth of a stiff actuator with the
patient safety advantage of a compliant actuator in response
to patient motion. For examination of the exoskeleton’s
potential to function as a diagnostic tool for muscle
fatigue, a fatigue model is formulated and parameterized
based on a study involving healthy participants. Lastly, the
feasibility of modulating the exoskeleton's assistance
according to the fatigue level is investigated.},
cin = {611010},
ddc = {621.3},
cid = {$I:(DE-82)611010_20140620$},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)11},
doi = {10.18154/RWTH-2024-12329},
url = {https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/999822},
}
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