Effects of Controlling Assist Robots to Follow Lumbar Load on Muscle Fatigue

Abstract

We developed an assist robot that changes its assist force in real time according to the lumbar load estimated from the load information on the hand measured using a hand sensor device and the posture information. Furthermore, using the developed assist robot, the effect of the load-following control on muscle fatigue was verified. The load was set at 6 kgf and 1 kgf, and the amount of muscle activity in the lumbar region was measured using a muscle potential sensor during continuous flexion-extension exercises. The central frequency of the power spectrum was calculated as muscle fatigue, and its time trend was obtained. For comparison, similar experiments were also conducted without an assistive robot and with an existing assistive robot. Consequently, when load-following control was used, muscle fatigue was reduced compared with existing assist robots in which the assist force was excessive in relation to the load. This shows the importance of load-following control that is necessary to control the assist force according to the load when the assist robot is worn during work in which the load changes in a complex manner.