Background
The population of Japanyears
100Theme：3

Support by Power Assist Suit

8060MaleGroup:13

National Institute of Technology, Wakayama College20

Kotaro Shimada

0○ Ryo Hashimoto

120 100 80 60 40 20○ Ami Morikawa‣ Declining birth rates

Reiya Hiasa

Naoaki Tsuda

BackgroundSource: http://www.soumu.go.jp
6560

355

2
1

50

045
2005

2010

2011

Aging of agricultural workers

people who need nursing care

agricultural worker
65 years and older

4

2000

00 20 40 60 80 100 120
Source: http://www.soumu.go.jp‣ Population aging

Background

65 years and older[%]

agricultural worker

5million

Female40

6million

Robots for agriculture works

4202001 2004 2007 2010 2012

Increase of the care burden

Support by robot is expected.

THOUZER produced by Doog

Strawberry picking robot
produced by Utsunomiya Univ.

Movement on rough ground
Employment problem

Background

Background

Robots for agriculture works

Power assist suit

Muscle Suit
producedby INNOPHYS

Movement on rough ground
Employment problem

Outline(1) Power assist suit outline(2) For luggage handling operation auxiliary(3) For rehabilitation(4) Conclusion＆Graduation research

KAI-R produced byYamanashi Univ.

Active plasterproduced by Mie Univ.
Source : http://www.robot.mach.mieu.ac.jp/html/research.html

Introduction in a wide range of fields is expected.

Power assist suit
Another name : Powered exoskeleton

Robot for assisting human works
Types of power assist suits‣For luggage handling operation auxiliary‣For harvest work auxiliary‣For rehabilitation

For luggage handling operation auxiliary

For luggage handling operation auxiliary

FeaturesFeatures‣Assisting force is switched
automatically.
‣To put on and take off within
30 seconds is possible.

‣High-powered

Assisting force
Weight15kgf
ca.6kgDrive time

8 hours

Assisting force
WeightDrive time

‣McKibben artificial muscles

Specifications

Specifications

AWN-03 producedby activelink

Muscle Suit produced※Air supply is necessary
by INNOPHYS
Source : http://innophys.jp/product.html

For luggage handling operation auxiliary

McKibben artificial muscles… rubber tube is covered with sleeve

Features

Mechanism
Pressurizing the tube
Radial direction : expansion
Axial direction : contraction‣Without power source

Expansion
AirContraction‣High-powered＆Light-weight

Specifications

Contractile force
Advantage: High-power, Light, Cheap
Disadvantage: Air supply is necessary

30kgf
ca.5.5kg+1.5kg
16 hours

Mechanism

Source : http://activelink.co.jp/doc/151.html

Muscle Suit produced
by INNOPHYS

Assisting force
WeightDrive time

25kgf
ca.4kgInfinitePneumatic artificial muscles

Muscle Suit Movie

Mechanism
User crouches using the weightof the upper part of body.
The air pressure energy is charged.
Charged energy is used for next motion.
A worker can lift the luggage easily.

Effectiveness of the Power assist suits‣Luggage handling works became easy.

‣ Workload
decreased about 70%

10080604020
0 without withworkload‣Participation of female
became possible.

For rehabilitation
Features‣HAL is automatically controlled
based on BES(Bio-Electricsignals)‣ Possible to do rehabilitations
while wearing HAL.

Specifications

WeightDrive time

ca.1.5kg
120 mins

HAL produced
by CYBERDYNE
Source : http://www.cyberdyne.jp/products/SingleJoint.html

Electromyogram

BES (Bio-electric signals )BES is a weak electric signals thatoccurs when the muscles move.

Flow chart of Electromyogram
Signal is sent from the brain
when moving the body.
Muscle contraction

Types of BES‣Electromyogram

Very weak electrical signal
leaks to the skin surface.
We call this signal “Electromyogram”‣Electroencephalogram

Block diagram of HAL

Market trend
60

Motor Driver&Current sensor

MotorsPass filter

Amp

Amp &Power regulator

Electrode

Ground reaction
force sensor

Rotary Encoder

BES

Shipment value

Control computer

million dollar

402002014

2015

2016

2018

Market of power assist suit is expanding rapidly.
Source : https://www.yano.co.jp/press/press.php/001452

Market trend

Conclusions

Corporate customers

Personal customers

ManyFew

Market is expanding.

Price will be reduced

Many

Many

‣ Assist robot let a agriculture
works and nursing works easy.
‣ Possible to maintain employment
and the worker’s motivation.
‣ In the future, the market will expand.

Finally‣ Our graduation thesis are about
robots for assisting crutch users
and calligraphy trainee.
‣ Experiences in thisIRH2015 must be helpful
for doing our researches.

Calligraphy training‣ We appreciate everyone
who supported us.
Crutch walk training

Thank you for your attention

Backgroundagricultural worker

5000
4000

603000Male 55

2000

50

1000

4502000

2005

2010

65 years and older

agricultural worker
The
population
65years
and older of Japan652011‣ Declining birthrates
Aging of agriculturalworkers

6000
4000

Female2000
02001Source:MIC
2004 2007

Background

Agricultural support robot

HAL produced by CYBERDYNE
THOUZER produced by Doog

strawberry picking robot
produced by Utsunomiya Univ.

Power assist suit

2012

‣Increase
Population
ofaging
the care burden

Support by robot is expected.

Background2010

It is expected in a wide range of fields.

Pneumatic artificial muscles
McKibben Artificial Muscles… Covering the rubber tube in the sleeve
Pressure the tube
Radial direction : expansion
Axial direction : contraction

Expansion
AirContraction

Contractile force
Advantage: High-power&Light&Cheap
Disadvantage: Air supply is necessary

Operating principle