302 ネガティブパワーアシストによる筋疲労の低減

抄録

In this paper, a strategy of power assistance of human motion, called "negative power assistance", which is especially targeting the nursing-care activities, is proposed. In this strategy, only the human motions accompanied by isometric and eccentric muscle contractions, which may cause muscle fatigue and muscle fibre damages, are assisted, whereas the motions with concentric contraction, which require positive power input, are not supported. Since the negative power assistance is feasible by using an ON/OFF-controlled passive breaks installed in parallel with the muscles, this concept allows a design of an energy-saving power assisting apparatus which may effectively prevent the user from muscle fatigue and muscle injury. A single-axis poof-of-concept test apparatus for cubital joint assistance is designed, and the experiments using the apparatus are carried out to show the effectiveness of the proposed concept.