A sEMG-driven Musculoskeletal Model to Control Exoskeleton Robot Used in Lower Extremity Rehabilitation

Shi Lei; Zhen Liu; Chao Zhang

Shi Lei Graduate School of Engineering, Nagasaki Institute of Applied Science, 536 Aba-machi, Nagasaki 851-0193, Japan
Zhen Liu Graduate School of Engineering, Nagasaki Institute of Applied Science, 536 Aba-machi, Nagasaki 851-0193, Japan
Chao Zhang Department of Advanced Technology and Science for Sustainable Development, Nagasaki, University, 1-14 bunnkyomachi 852-8521, Japan

Keywords: Rehabilitation Exoskeleton, Surface Electromyography (sEMG), Neuro-Musculo-Skeletal model, Muscle Dynamics Model, Skeletal Model.

Abstract

A control system framework of lower extremity rehabilitation exoskeleton robot is presented. It is basedon the Neuro-Musculo-Skeletal biological model. Its core composition module, the motion intent parserpart, mainly comprises of three distinct parts. The first part is signal acquisition of surfaceelectromyography (sEMG) that is the summation of motor unit action potential (MUAP) starting fromcentral nervous system (CNS).sEMG can be used to decode action intent of operator to make the patientactively participate in specific training .As another composition part, a muscle dynamics model that is
comprised of activation and contraction dynamic model is developed. It is mainly used to calculatemuscle force. The last part is the skeletal dynamic model that is simplified as a linked segmentmechanics. Combined with muscle dynamic model, the joint torque exerted by internal muscles can be
exported, which can be used to do a exoskeleton controller design. The developed control frameworkcan make exoskeleton offer assistance to operators during rehabilitation by guiding motions on correct
training rehabilitation trajectories, or give force support to be able to perform certain motions. Though thepresentation is orientated towards the lower extremity exoskeleton, it is generic and can be applied toalmost any part of the human body.

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