Rehabilitation exoskeleton customized design of kinematic joint based on cone programming reconstruction

doi:10.3785/j.issn.1008-973X.2025.10.001

Journal of ZheJiang University (Engineering Science)

2025, Vol. 59

Issue (10): 2005-2013 DOI: 10.3785/j.issn.1008-973X.2025.10.001

Rehabilitation exoskeleton customized design of kinematic joint based on cone programming reconstruction

Zhengxin TU(

),Jinghua XU*(

),Shuyou ZHANG

Institute of Design Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

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Abstract

A new method for the customized design of a kinematic joint rehabilitation exoskeleton was proposed to enhance the matching performance between the ergonomic rehabilitation appliance and the individual joint kinesiology. The bone joint was reconstructed from medical images, improving the reconstruction accuracy, while cone programming iteration was employed to calculate the matching relationship of morphology features, from which the individual joint kinematic posture was reestablished. Compared to the hierarchical matching method, the proposed cone programming reconstruction method reduced the root mean square error, mean absolute error, and maximum error by 10.95%, 12.29%, and 6.05%, respectively. Based on the reconstructed kinematic joint posture, the trajectory of the instantaneous rotation center was simultaneously reckoned. Combined with the three-center theorem, the design of the reverse double rocker mechanism for the rehabilitation exoskeleton was optimized to reduce the instantaneous rotation center trajectory error, resulting in precise human-machine collaborative variable instantaneous center motion in the motion domain. Topological optimization with additive manufacturing constraints was introduced to analyze the load transfer and stress distribution of the exoskeleton part with Hertz contact theory, thereby optimizing material distribution and facilitating the individual customized design of the rehabilitation exoskeleton structure.

Key words： cone programming reconstruction kinematic joint rehabilitation exoskeleton customized design load transfer variable instantaneous center motion

Received: 14 October 2024 Published: 27 October 2025

CLC:

TP 391

Fund: 国家重点研发计划资助项目（2022YFB3303303）.

Corresponding Authors: Jinghua XU E-mail: 21925099@zju.edu.cn;xujh@zju.edu.cn

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Cite this article:

Zhengxin TU,Jinghua XU,Shuyou ZHANG. Rehabilitation exoskeleton customized design of kinematic joint based on cone programming reconstruction. Journal of ZheJiang University (Engineering Science), 2025, 59(10): 2005-2013.

URL:

https://www.zjujournals.com/eng/10.3785/j.issn.1008-973X.2025.10.001 OR https://www.zjujournals.com/eng/Y2025/V59/I10/2005

基于锥规划重建的运动关节康复外骨骼定制设计

为了提升人体工学康复器具与个体关节运动学的匹配性能，提出运动关节康复外骨骼定制设计的新方法. 通过医学图像重建骨骼关节，利用锥规划迭代计算形貌特征匹配关系，重建个性化的关节运动姿态，提高重建精度. 与分层匹配方法相比，所提锥规划重建方法的均方根误差、平均绝对误差和最大误差分别降低了10.95%、12.29%和6.05%. 基于重建的运动关节姿态同步推算其瞬时旋转中心轨迹，结合三心定理，以减小瞬时旋转中心轨迹误差为目标，优化康复外骨骼反向双摇杆机构设计，实现运动域中精确的人机协同变瞬心运动. 结合增材制造约束进行拓扑优化，通过赫兹接触理论分析外骨骼零件的载荷传递和应力分布，优化材料分布，实现康复外骨骼结构的个性化定制设计.

关键词： 锥规划重建, 运动关节, 康复外骨骼, 定制设计, 载荷传递, 变瞬心运动

Fig.1 CT images of left knee joint

Fig.2 Layer area and layer area difference of distal femur

Fig.3 Iterative curves of root mean square error for left knee joint motion posture reconstruction using different methods

Tab.1 Comparison of root mean square error in iterative processes of left knee joint motion posture reconstruction with different methods mm

Fig.4 Cone programming reconstruction for motion posture of left tibiofemoral joint in sagittal plane

Tab.2 Instantaneous rotation center parameters at different flexion angles

Tab.3 Comparison of motion posture reconstruction accuracy about left knee joint by different methods mm

Fig.5 Conceptual design of ergonomic rehabilitation exoskeleton for left knee joint

Fig.6 Kinematic model of variable instantaneous center mechanism of left knee joint exoskeleton

Tab.4 Design parameters of variable instantaneous center mechanism under different schemes

Fig.7 Trajectory comparison for two types of instantaneous rotation centers in sagittal plane

Fig.8 Distribution of equivalent stress and load transfer for rehabilitation exoskeleton of left shank component

Fig.9 Strain energy iteration curve of rehabilitation exoskeleton of left shank component

Tab.5 Strain energy of topologically optimized structures under different volume constraints

Fig.10 Rehabilitation exoskeleton of left shank component printed by digital light processing


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