• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.364-371
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• 2014

The purpose of this paper is to review recent developments in lower limb exoskeletons. The exoskeleton system is a human-robot cooperation system that enhances the performance of the wearer in various environments while the human operator is in charge of the position control, contextual perception, and motion signal generation through the robot's artificial intelligence. This system is in the form of a mechanical structure that is combined to the exterior of a human body to improve the muscular power of the wearer. This paper is followed by an overview of the development history of exoskeleton systems and their three main applications in military/industrial field, medical/rehabilitation field and social welfare field. Besides the key technologies in exoskeleton systems, the research is presented from several viewpoints of the exoskeleton mechanism, human-robot interface and human-robot cooperation control.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.309-315
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• 2015

This paper presents a lower-limb exoskeleton testbed and its control method. An exoskeleton is a wearable robotic system that can enhance wearer's muscle power or assist human's movements. Among a variety of its applications, especially for military purpose, a wearable robot can be very useful for carrying heavy loads during locomotion by augmenting soldiers' mobility and endurance. The locomotion test on a treadmill was performed up to maximum 4km/h walking speed wearing the lower-limb exoskeleton testbed with a 45kg backpack load.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.303-304
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• 2013

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.83-84
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• 2013

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.1065-1072
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• 2015

This paper is about the development of an insole sensor system that can determine the model of an exoskeleton robot for lower limb that is a multi-degree of freedom system. First, the study analyzed the kinematic model of an exoskeleton robot for the lower limb that changes according to the gait phase detection of a human. Based on the ground reaction force (GRF), which is generated when walking, to proceed with insole sensor development, the sensing type, location, and the number of sensors were selected. The center of pressure (COP) of the human foot was understood first, prior to the development of algorithm. Using the COP, an algorithm was developed that is capable of detecting the gait phase with small number of sensors. An experiment at 3 km/h speed was conducted on the developed sensor system to evaluate the developed insole sensor system and the gait phase detection algorithm.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.321-322
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• 2013

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.124-131
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• 2017

This paper present a novel approach to control the lower body power assistive exoskeleton system of a HEXAR-CR35 aimed at improving a muscular strength. More specifically the control of based on the human intention is crucial of importance to ensure intuitive and dexterous motion with the human. In this contribution, we proposed the detection algorithm of the human intention using the MCRS which are developed to measure the contraction of the muscle with variation of the circumference. The proposed algorithm provides a joint motion of exoskeleton corresponding the relate muscles. The main advantages of the algorithm are its simplicity, computational efficiency to control one joint of the HEXAR-CR35 which are consisted knee-active type exoskeleton (the other joints are consisted with the passive or quasi-passive joints that can be arranged by analyzing of the human joint functions). As a consequence, the motion of exoskeleton is generated according to the gait phase: swing and stance phase which are determined by the foot insole sensors. The experimental evaluation of the proposed algorithm is achieved in walking with the exoskeleton while carrying the external mass in the back side.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.961-962
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• 2010

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.346-353
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to verify the energy efficiency of the integrated system combining human and a lower extremity exoskeleton robot when it is applied to the proposed gait pattern. Energy efficient gait pattern of the lower limb was proposed through leg function distribution during stance phase and the dynamic-manipulability ellipsoid (DME). To verify the feasibility and effect of the redefined gait trajectory, simulations and experiments were conducted under the conditions of walking on level ground and ascending and descending from a staircase. Experiments to calculate the metabolic cost of the human body with or without the assistance of the exoskeleton were conducted. The energy consumption of the lower extremity exoskeleton was assessed, with the aim of improving the efficiency of the integrated system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.45-46
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• 2009