Development of a half rising posture assistive device using pneumatic artificial muscle

Abstract

This paper describes about a half rising posture assistive device using pneumatic artificial muscle. This device uses compressibility of air, and it can generate assistive force passively according to the posture of the user. This device reduces an extra load on a disk of the waist by generating assistive force like pushing the chest of the user. In this paper, a basic mechanism of this device and pneumatic artificial muscle which is used in this device are explained, and it is shown the simulation result of assistive force. In addition, muscle activity was measured experimentally when the user who is wearing the device becomes half rising posture. We confirmed experimentally that this device can reduce muscle activity when the user becomes half rising posture.