Abstract
An exoskeleton fitness device, particularly for exercising a human body, comprises a wearable structure having at least one fastening member, the at least one fastening member configured to fasten the wearable structure to a user's body, at least one mechanical joint having at least one axis of rotation and at least one degree-of-freedom, the at least one mechanical joint fastened to the wearable structure, at least one unit for generating a rotational resistance that counteracts a rotational movement of the at least one mechanical joint, and a controller for controlling the rotational resistance, wherein the controller is configured to control the rotational resistance according to a user setting.
Claims
1. An exoskeleton fitness device for exercising a human body, comprising: a wearable structure having at least one fastening member, wherein the at least one fastening member is configured to fasten the wearable structure to a body of a user; at least one mechanical joint having at least one axis of rotation and at least one degree-of-freedom, wherein the at least one mechanical joint is fastened to the wearable structure; at least one unit for generating a rotational resistance which counteracts a rotational movement of the at least one mechanical joint; and a controller for controlling the rotational resistance, wherein the controller is configured to control the rotational resistance according to a user setting.
2. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 1, wherein the wearable structure further comprises a first part and a second part, the first part and the second part being rotatably connected to each other via the at least one mechanical joint.
3. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one axis of rotation of the at least one mechanical joint coincides with an axis of rotation of a body joint of the user.
4. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 1, wherein the wearable structure is further configured to enable a movement sequence performed by at least one body part of the user, the at least one body part selected from a left shoulder, a right shoulder, a torso, a left arm, a right arm, a left upper arm, a right upper arm, a left lower arm, a right lower arm, a left hand, a right hand, at least one finger, a left hip, a right hip, a left leg, a right leg, a left knee, a right knee, a left foot and a right foot.
5. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one unit for generating the rotational resistance comprises an electrically controllable brake.
6. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one position sensor positioned at a joint of the body when the exoskeleton fitness device is worn and adapted to detect positional data of motion sequence, wherein the at least one position sensor is provided at the at least one mechanical joint to detect a rotation angle about the at least one axis of rotation.
7. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the wearable structure and the at least one mechanical joint further comprises at least one optical marker.
8. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mechanical joint is a pair of mechanical joints whose axes of rotation coincide.
9. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 8, wherein mechanical joints of the pair of mechanical joints are arranged in correspondence to a position of a body joint of the user opposite to each other on the wearable structure so that the body joint is positioned at their center.
10. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the rotational resistance as a function of an angular force applied by the user.
11. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one torque sensor for measuring an angular force applied by the user.
12. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 11, wherein the at least one torque sensor is a magnetostrictive torque sensor.
13. The exoskeleton fitness device according to claim 12, wherein the magnetostrictive torque sensor comprises a magnetic field sensor and a magnetized shaft or a magnetized disk.
14. A method for exercising a human body, with an exoskeleton fitness device, the method comprising: fastening a wearable structure of the exoskeleton fitness device to the body of a user by means of at least one fastening member; generating a rotational resistance counteracting a rotational movement of a mechanical joint, wherein the mechanical joint comprises at least one axis of rotation and at least one degree-of-freedom, and wherein the at least one mechanical joint is fastened to the wearable structure; and controlling, by means of a controller according to a user setting, the rotational resistance.
15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: performing, by means of the wearable structure, an angular movement by the user, a center of which is a body joint of the user; measuring an angular force applied by the user by means of a torque sensor; and wherein the controlling further comprises controlling the at least one rotational resistance as a function of the measured angular force.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary exoskeleton fitness device according to the present invention on a user.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a wearable structure and a mechanical joint according to the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a mechanical joint according to the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a mechanical joint according to the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 5 shows a structure diagram of a process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] In the figures described below, identical reference numbers refer to the same elements. For clarity, identical elements are described only on their first occurrence. However, it is understood that the variations and embodiments of an element described with reference to one of the figures may also be applied to the corresponding elements in the remaining figures.
[0036] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an exemplary exoskeleton fitness device according to the present invention on a user. Without limiting the generality, an exoskeleton fitness device for an arm and a leg are illustrated in FIG. 1. The exoskeleton fitness device may be configured to replicate natural limb movement patterns when worn. This means that, for example, the arms and/or legs can be moved freely while wearing the exoskeleton fitness device. Further, the exoskeleton fitness device may be configured to replicate only a part of the natural limb movement patterns when the exoskeleton fitness device is worn. This means that, for example, the arms and/or legs can be restricted to certain levels of movement when wearing the exoskeleton fitness device.
[0037] In the human body, different types of joints are distinguished according to their shape and the possibility of movement given by the shape. The respective shape of the body joint determines the number of degrees of freedom. The number of degrees of freedom indicates in how many planes of motion a rotational movement is made possible by the body joint. The number of movement planes corresponds to the number of degrees of freedom. For example, a ball joint consists of a spherical joint head that slides in a socket shaped like a hollow sphere. Ball joints have a practically infinite number of joint axes and accordingly allow all-round mobility. For example, the shoulder joint and the hip joint are ball and socket joints. Another example of a joint that occurs in the human body is a hinge joint. The hinge joint consists of a channel and a matching roller. A hinge joint has only one degree-of-freedom, which allows movement about only one axis, namely the hinge axis, in only one plane of motion. Finger-middle joints and finger-end joints, for example, are hinge joints. However, the mobility of the human body is not only caused by the body joints alone. In order for a person to move, an interaction of muscles and joints is necessary. According to the present invention, for example, muscle strengthening is achieved by using the exoskeleton fitness device according to the invention.
[0038] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the exoskeleton fitness device includes three mechanical joints 10 and a wearable structure 20 with a plurality of fastening members 30. In the exoskeleton fitness device shown in FIG. 1, the wearable structure 20 is fastened to the user's body so that a mechanical joint 10 is positioned at each of the user's knee, elbow, and shoulder. Each of the mechanical joints 10 shown in FIG. 1 rotatably connects a first part and a second part of the wearable structure 20. “Rotatable” means that the mechanical joint 10 allows the first part 21 and the second part 22 of the wearable structure 20 fastened to the user's body to perform an angular movement about the axis of the mechanical joint. One end of each of the first part 21 and/or the second part 22 of the wearable structure 20 may be rotatably connected to a mechanical joint 10, and one end of each longitudinally opposite end may be connected to another mechanical joint 10. FIG. 1 shows that a part of the wearable structure 20 is connected to both the mechanical joint 10 positioned at the user's shoulder joint and the mechanical joint 10 positioned at the elbow joint. For example, a part of the wearable structure 20 extending along a thigh may be connected to a mechanical joint 10 positioned at the knee and to a mechanical joint 10 positioned at the hip. A part of the wearable structure 20 extending along a lower leg may be connected to a mechanical joint 10 positioned at the knee and to a mechanical joint 10 positioned at the ankle. The list of examples does not claim to be exhaustive.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, the wearable structure 20 and the mechanical joints 10 are disposed on an outer side of the limbs facing away from a center of the user's body. The mechanical joints are fastened to the wearable structure so that the position of each mechanical joint of the exoskeleton fitness device corresponds to the position of a body joint. The parts 21, 22 of the wearable structure 20 connected by a mechanical joint 10 are arranged so that the parts 21, 22 are parallel to a body axis or limb of the user. In FIG. 1, the parts 21, 22 of the wearable structure 20 are arranged to extend along and parallel to the outside of an arm and leg, respectively. The parts 21, 22 of the wearable structure 20 and the mechanical joints 10 may be arranged on an inner side of the limbs, i.e., on a side of the limbs that is located toward the center of the body. The parts 21, 22 of the wearable structure 20 and the mechanical joints 10 may be arranged on an outer side and an inner side of the limbs, respectively. The exoskeleton fitness device according to the invention may comprise at least one pair of mechanical joints 10 whose axes of rotation coincide. The mechanical joints 10 and/or the parts 21, 22 of the wearable structure 20 may be arranged in pairs. That is, mechanical joints 10 and parts 21, 22 of the wearable structure 20 are arranged in pairs on the inside and outside of the limbs. An exoskeleton fitness device according to the invention may have further mechanical joints 10 at positions each corresponding to the position of a body joint. For example, a respective mechanical joint 10 may be positioned at the ankle and/or wrist and/or finger joints and/or hip and/or shoulder blade of the user's body. For example, when a mechanical joint 10 is positioned at one of two shoulder blades on a user's back, a first part 21 of the wearable structure 20 may extend from the mechanical joint 10 along a back side of an upper arm of the user parallel to the upper arm. The length of the first part 21 may be determined to allow bending of the elbow. Nevertheless, the length of the first part 21 can also be determined in such a way that it is no longer possible to bend the elbow. A second part 22 of the wearable structure 20 may extend from the mechanical joint 10 along the user's back toward the ground.
[0040] The exoskeleton fitness device according to the invention may comprise one or more position sensor(s). A position sensor is placed on a joint of the body when the structure is worn. The position sensor captures position data of the motion sequence that the user performs with the corresponding body part where the position sensor is located. With a position sensor, the movement of an object can be detected and converted into suitable signals for processing, transmission and control. For example, position measurement solutions include inductive, potentiometric, magnetoresistive and capacitive measurements. In the exoskeleton fitness device of the invention, the wearable structure may comprise an optical marker detected by a camera. A sequence of movements performed by the user with different body parts can be filmed, analyzed and controlled.
[0041] FIG. 2 shows a mechanical joint 10 that includes an axis of rotation 11. In FIG. 2, the diagram in the upper right illustrates a plane defined by the xy axes in which rotational movement about the axis of rotation 11 of the mechanical joint 10 can occur. FIG. 2 further shows a schematic view in the direction of the axis of rotation 11 of the mechanical joint 10. The mechanical joint 10 shown schematically in FIG. 2 rotatably connects a first part 21 and a second part 22 of the wearable structure 20 of the exoskeleton fitness device according to the invention. The fastening members 30 have been omitted from FIG. 2 for clarity. In FIG. 2, a rotational movement of the first part 21 about the axis of rotation 11 is indicated by dashing. Without rotary motion, the first part 21 and the second part 22 are in an elongated form. “Stretched shape” here means that the first part 21 and the second part 22, which are rotatably connected to each other via the mechanical joint 10, form an angle of 180 degrees. For example, the stretched shape corresponds to stretched limbs of the human body. For example, a user may move the exoskeleton fitness device about the axis of rotation of a body joint. The axis of rotation 11 of the mechanical joint 10 coincides with the axis of rotation of the body joint. A rotational resistance counteracts a rotational movement of the mechanical joint 10. Therefore, the rotational movement to which, for example, the first part 21 of the wearable structure 20 is subjected by the user is slowed down.
[0042] FIG. 3 shows schematically the mechanical joint 10 according to the present invention. The mechanical joint 10 includes the axis of rotation 11. FIG. 3 further shows a unit 12 for generating a rotational resistance. For example, a braking force acts on the angled region 21A of the first part 21 of the wearable structure 20 to cause the rotational resistance. In the following, the angled region 21A is referred to as shaft 21A. The unit 12 generates the rotational resistance, which is controlled by a controller 50 according to a user setting. The generated rotational resistance counteracts a rotational movement of the mechanical joint 10. Therefore, the rotational movement to which, for example, the first part 21 of the wearable structure 20 is subjected by the user is slowed down. FIG. 3 further shows a torque sensor 40 that measures the angular force applied by the user. The torque sensor 40 includes a magnetic field sensor 41 and a magnetized region 42 of the angled region of the first part 21 (shaft 21A). When the first part 21 of the wearable structure is subjected to rotational movement about the rotational axis 11 of the mechanical joint 10, the torque applied to the rotational axis causes minimal torsion of the shaft 21A, which changes a magnetic field generated outside the shaft 21A by the magnetized region 42. The change in the magnetic field is detected by the magnetic field sensor 42. The magnetic field sensor 42 sends a signal containing information about the detected magnetic field change to the controller 50. The controller 50 processes the received information about the magnetic field change and determines a magnitude of the angular force. The determined value of the angular force is compared with a user setting. When the magnitude of the angular force deviates from the user setting, the controller 50 controls the rotational resistance generating unit 12 so that the generated rotational resistance that brakes the rotational motion is either increased or decreased according to the deviation. The controller 50 of the exoskeleton fitness device according to the invention can control the rotational resistance as a function of an angular force applied by the user. The rotational resistance can be generated by an electrically controllable brake, for example. The force to be applied by the user to rotate the exoskeleton fitness device around the axis of rotation of the body joint can be adjusted and controlled. The controller 50 may process data from a position sensor and control the variable rotational resistance accordingly. The controller 50 may process image data captured by a camera and control the rotational resistance accordingly, or feedback may be provided with a motion input.
[0043] FIG. 4 shows the mechanical joint 10 also shown in FIG. 3, except that the torque sensor is a magnetostrictive disc sensor 40. The first part 21 is connected to an inner region (with respect to the radial direction) of the disk 43. The second part 22 is connected to an outer region (with respect to the radial direction) of the disk 43. The disk sensor 40 includes a disk 43 containing a magnetostrictive, premagnetized, or magnetizable material 42, and a magnetic field sensor assembly 41. The magnetostrictive material 42 is magnetized in a central region (between the inner region and outer region) of the disk 43. A torque acting about an axis of rotation of the disk can be applied to the disk 43. The magnetostrictive material 42 generates a magnetic field outside the disk 43 that can be varied as a function of the acting torque (angular force). The magnetic field sensor assembly 41 outputs a signal based on the magnetic field generated by the magnetostrictive material. The torque sensor 40 determines a value of the acting torque based on the output signal. The disc 43, which acts as a force-transmitting element, is used to measure the applied torque by premagnetizing the disc 43.
[0044] FIG. 5 shows a schematic structure for a method, in particular for exercising a human body, with an exoskeleton fitness device according to the invention. The user fastens the wearable structure 20 of the exoskeleton fitness device to their body using the fastening members 30. The position of a mechanical joint 10 corresponds to the position of a body joint. The axis of rotation 11 of the mechanical joint 10 coincides with the axis of rotation of the body joint. The user makes settings by means of a mobile terminal by entering appropriate data into the mobile terminal. The data entered by the user into the mobile terminal is transmitted to the controller 50. A rotational resistance is generated which counteracts the rotational movement of the mechanical joint. When the user moves the exoskeleton fitness device about the rotational axis of the body joint, the user must apply force to overcome the rotational resistance generated by the unit 12 that opposes rotation about the rotational axis 11 of the mechanical joint 10. The rotational resistance is controlled by the controller 50 according to the user setting. The user can perform an angular movement by means of the wearable structure, the center of which is a body joint of the user. The angular force applied by the user can be detected by means of a torque sensor. By means of a position sensor, position data of a motion sequence mapped by the wearable structure can be detected. The rotational resistance can be controlled depending on the angular force applied by the user.
[0045] The invention described allows flexible use without a fixed installation site. Any risk of improper use is minimized with full flexibility. Using lightweight yet strong materials, the weight of the exoskeleton fitness device according to the invention can be much lighter than that of the exoskeletons already known.
