Soft Semi-active Back Support Device with Adaptive Force Profiles using Variable-elastic Actuation and Weight Feedback
Fuente:
arXiv
Guardado en:
| Autores principales: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Formato: | Preprint |
| Publicado: |
2026
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | |
| Etiquetas: |
Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
|
| _version_ | 1866915832983977984 |
|---|---|
| author | Khatavkar, Rohan Nguyen, The Bach Kang, Inseung Lee, Hyunglae Sun, Jiefeng |
| author_facet | Khatavkar, Rohan Nguyen, The Bach Kang, Inseung Lee, Hyunglae Sun, Jiefeng |
| contents | Portable active back support devices (BSDs) offer tunable assistance but are often bulky and heavy, limiting their usability. In contrast, passive BSDs are lightweight and compact but lack the ability to adapt their assistance to different back movements. We present a soft, lightweight, and compact BSD that combines a variable-stiffness passive element and an active element (an artificial muscle) in parallel. The device provides tunable assistance through discrete changes in stiffness values and active force levels. We validate the device's tuning capabilities through bench testing and on-body characterization. Further, we use the device's tuning capabilities to provide weight-adaptive object lifting and lowering assistance. We detect the weight handled by the user based on forearm force myography and upper-back inertial measurement unit data. Furthermore, electromyography analyses in five participants performing symmetric object lifting and lowering tasks showed reductions in back extensor activity. Preliminary results in one participant also indicated reduced muscle activity during asymmetric lifting. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_03724 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Soft Semi-active Back Support Device with Adaptive Force Profiles using Variable-elastic Actuation and Weight Feedback Khatavkar, Rohan Nguyen, The Bach Kang, Inseung Lee, Hyunglae Sun, Jiefeng Systems and Control Robotics Portable active back support devices (BSDs) offer tunable assistance but are often bulky and heavy, limiting their usability. In contrast, passive BSDs are lightweight and compact but lack the ability to adapt their assistance to different back movements. We present a soft, lightweight, and compact BSD that combines a variable-stiffness passive element and an active element (an artificial muscle) in parallel. The device provides tunable assistance through discrete changes in stiffness values and active force levels. We validate the device's tuning capabilities through bench testing and on-body characterization. Further, we use the device's tuning capabilities to provide weight-adaptive object lifting and lowering assistance. We detect the weight handled by the user based on forearm force myography and upper-back inertial measurement unit data. Furthermore, electromyography analyses in five participants performing symmetric object lifting and lowering tasks showed reductions in back extensor activity. Preliminary results in one participant also indicated reduced muscle activity during asymmetric lifting. |
| title | Soft Semi-active Back Support Device with Adaptive Force Profiles using Variable-elastic Actuation and Weight Feedback |
| topic | Systems and Control Robotics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.03724 |