Method and apparatus for controlling a force assist apparatus
AssigneeAgency of Industrial Science & Technology, Ministry of International Trade & Industry
InventorsHirohiko Arai, Kazuo Tanie, Yasuo Hayashibara
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Abstract
A method of controlling a force assist apparatus worn on a human body comprises separating a force signal relating to a load force imposed on the force assist apparatus detected by a force sensor into a static force component and a dynamic force component, attenuating the static force by a smaller factor than the factor by which the dynamic force is attenuated, attenuating the dynamic force by a factor within a range according to actuator output margin in which saturation does not occur, summing the attenuated signals, subtracting an operating force signal detected by a force sensor from the sum, and using the total signal as an output command to drive actuators.
Claims3
A method of controlling a force assist apparatus worn on a human body, comprising:
- separating a force signal relating to a load force imposed on the force assist apparatus detected by a force sensor into a static force component and a dynamic force component,
- attenuating the static force by a smaller factor than the factor by which the dynamic force is attenuated,
- attenuating the dynamic force by a factor within a range according to actuator output margin in which saturation does not occur,
- summing the attenuated signals, subtracting an operating force signal detected by a force sensor from the sum, and
- using the total signal as an output command to drive actuators.
An apparatus for controlling a force assist apparatus worn on a human body, comprising:
- two force sensors that detect operating and load forces imposed on the force assist apparatus,
- a force separation section that separates a detected load force signal from the force sensor into a static force component and a dynamic force component,
- two attenuater sections that individually attenuate the static and dynamic force components by a separate factor,
- an adder section that sums outputs of the two attenuater sections,
- a subtracter section that subtracts a detected operating force signal from the force sensor, and
- a control section that applies a subtracter section output signal as an actuator drive signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.