Since wearable linkage mechanisms could control the moment transmission from actuator(s) to wearers, they can help ensure that even low-cost wearable systems provide advanced functionality tailored to users' needs. For example, if a hip mechanism transforms an input torque into a spatially-varying moment, a wearer can get effective assistance both in the sagittal and frontal planes during walking, even with an affordable single-actuator system. However, due to the combinatorial nature of the linkage mechanism design space, the topologies of such nonlinear-moment-generating mechanisms are challenging to determine, even with significant computational resources and numerical data. Furthermore, on-premise production development and interactive design are nearly impossible in conventional synthesis approaches. Here, we propose an innovative autonomous computational approach for synthesizing such wearable robot mechanisms, eliminating the need for exhaustive searches or numerous data sets. Our method transforms the synthesis problem into a gradient-based optimization problem with sophisticated objective and constraint functions while ensuring the desired degree of freedom, range of motion, and force transmission characteristics. To generate arbitrary mechanism topologies and dimensions, we employed a unified ground model. By applying the proposed method for the design of hip joint mechanisms, the topologies and dimensions of non-series-type hip joint mechanisms were obtained. Biomechanical simulations validated its multi-moment assistance capability, and its wearability was verified via prototype fabrication. The proposed design strategy can open a new way to design various wearable robot mechanisms, such as shoulders, knees, and ankles.

翻译：由于穿戴式连杆机构能够控制从执行器到穿戴者的力矩传递，它们有助于确保即使低成本穿戴式系统也能提供针对用户需求的高级功能。例如，如果髋关节机构将输入扭矩转换为空间变化的力矩，穿戴者即使在仅使用经济实惠的单执行器系统时，也能在行走过程中获得矢状面和额状面上的有效辅助。然而，由于连杆机构设计空间的组合特性，即使拥有大量计算资源和数值数据，这类产生非线性力矩的机构拓扑结构也难以确定。此外，传统合成方法几乎无法实现现场生产开发和交互式设计。本文提出了一种创新的自主计算方法，用于合成此类穿戴式机器人机构，无需穷举搜索或大量数据集。该方法将合成问题转化为基于梯度的优化问题，具备复杂的目标函数和约束函数，同时确保满足所需的自由度、运动范围和力传递特性。为生成任意机构拓扑结构和尺寸，我们采用了统一的地面模型。通过将该方法应用于髋关节机构设计，获得了非串联类型髋关节机构的拓扑结构和尺寸。生物力学仿真验证了其多力矩辅助能力，并通过原型制作验证了其可穿戴性。所提出的设计策略有望为设计肩关节、膝关节、踝关节等多种穿戴式机器人机构开辟新途径。