T. Zhang and D.J. Braun, Human Driven Compliant Transmission Mechanism, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, pp. 7094-7099, 2021.
Energetically-passive robot exoskeletons, mimicking the function of the bicycle, could enable humans to reach previously unprecedented mobility. However, energetically-passive robot exoskeletons require a sophisticated mechanism to enable the human to supply energy, similar to what is enabled by the variable gear transmission mechanism of the bicycle. In this work, we present a new type of human-driven compliant transmission mechanism that could enable humans to supply energy when the leg is in the air, store the supplied energy, and release the stored energy when the leg is on the ground, in order to amplify the leg force and power. The compliant transmission mechanism presented in this paper is the first prototype and key component of a future human-driven artificial limb that aims to augment human mobility without using external energy.