A transition point: Assistance magnitude is a critical parameter when providing assistance during walking with an energy-removing exoskeleton or biomechanical energy harvester.

ABSTRACT: Researchers and engineers have developed exoskeletons capable of reducing the energetic cost of walking by decreasing the force their users' muscles are required to produce while contracting. The metabolic effect of assisting concentric and isometric muscle contractions depends, in part, on assistance magnitude. We conducted human treadmill experiments to explore the effects of assistance magnitude on the biomechanics and energetics of walking with an energy-removing exoskeleton designed to assist eccentric muscle contractions. Our results demonstrate that the assistance magnitude of an energy-removing device significantly affects the energetics, muscle activity, and biomechanics of walking. Under the moderate assistance magnitude condition, our device reduced the metabolic cost of walking

SUBMITTER: Shepertycky M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10414649 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature