{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/109096"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/109096","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Design of an Underactuated Lower Body Exoskeleton Using a Pantograph","abstract":"This paper presents the design of an underactuated lower body exoskeleton to assist with walking. It reduces the amount of bodyweight going through the user's leg by providing a supporting force to the user that is engaged and disengaged depending on the stage of the gait cycle the user is in. It is engaged when the leg is in stance, effectively pushing between the ball of the foot and the hips, and is disengaged during leg swing. This support force is provided by a linear actuator on each leg that consists of a compression spring, ball screw, and motor. It works by having the motor turn the ball screw, which moves a metal plate to either compress or decompress the spring. The actuator is designed to always be able to extend, to avoid limiting the user's motion. The spring is disengaged while the leg is in swing in order to reduce any impedance to the user's natural stride. The exoskeleton is also designed to minimize any range of motion limitations to reduce its restrictiveness. The exoskeleton was found to be able to provide 19 lbs (85 N) of support to the user per leg.","abstract_html":"This paper presents the design of an underactuated lower body exoskeleton to assist with walking. It reduces the amount of bodyweight going through the user's leg by providing a supporting force to the user that is engaged and disengaged depending on the stage of the gait cycle the user is in. It is engaged when the leg is in stance, effectively pushing between the ball of the foot and the hips, and is disengaged during leg swing. This support force is provided by a linear actuator on each leg that consists of a compression spring, ball screw, and motor. It works by having the motor turn the ball screw, which moves a metal plate to either compress or decompress the spring. The actuator is designed to always be able to extend, to avoid limiting the user's motion. The spring is disengaged while the leg is in swing in order to reduce any impedance to the user's natural stride. The exoskeleton is also designed to minimize any range of motion limitations to reduce its restrictiveness. The exoskeleton was found to be able to provide 19 lbs (85 N) of support to the user per leg.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Claessen, Evan Alexander"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":"Mechanical Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Asbeck, Alan T."],"committee_members":["Leonessa, Alexander","Southward, Steve C."],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-03-03","date_published":"2022-03-03","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:00Z","subjects":["underactuated exoskeleton","lower body exoskeleton","gait"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International"],"rights_urls":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:34097"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:34097","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/109096","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Asbeck, Alan T."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Leonessa, Alexander","Southward, Steve C."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Claessen, Evan Alexander"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2022-03-04T09:00:18Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-03-04T09:00:18Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2022-03-03"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["underactuated exoskeleton","lower body exoskeleton","gait"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:34097"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/109096"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This paper presents the design of an underactuated lower body exoskeleton to assist with walking. It reduces the amount of bodyweight going through the user's leg by providing a supporting force to the user that is engaged and disengaged depending on the stage of the gait cycle the user is in. It is engaged when the leg is in stance, effectively pushing between the ball of the foot and the hips, and is disengaged during leg swing. This support force is provided by a linear actuator on each leg that consists of a compression spring, ball screw, and motor. It works by having the motor turn the ball screw, which moves a metal plate to either compress or decompress the spring. The actuator is designed to always be able to extend, to avoid limiting the user's motion. The spring is disengaged while the leg is in swing in order to reduce any impedance to the user's natural stride. The exoskeleton is also designed to minimize any range of motion limitations to reduce its restrictiveness. The exoskeleton was found to be able to provide 19 lbs (85 N) of support to the user per leg."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["Exoskeletons are external devices worn to assist the user's natural movement or strength. This paper outlines the design of an exoskeleton that assists the user in walking by providing a supporting force on any leg that the user's weight is on. This effectively reduces the load on the user's legs, which could help reduce leg strain and fatigue. The exoskeleton releases this force when weight is removed from the leg to allow the user to easily swing their leg forward to step. The exoskeleton was designed to minimize limitations to the range of motion of the leg joints while walking, squatting, or sitting to ensure that the exoskeleton did not feel restricting or uncomfortable. Testing revealed that the exoskeleton was able to provide a supporting force of approximately 19 lbs (85 N) to the user per leg and met all the joint range of motion requirements to avoid restrictiveness."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Design of an Underactuated Lower Body Exoskeleton Using a Pantograph"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Asbeck, Alan T."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Leonessa, Alexander","Southward, Steve C."],"dc:contributor.department":["Mechanical Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Claessen, Evan Alexander"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2022-03-04T09:00:18Z"],"dc:date.available":["2022-03-04T09:00:18Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2022-03-03"],"dc:description.abstract":["This paper presents the design of an underactuated lower body exoskeleton to assist with walking. It reduces the amount of bodyweight going through the user's leg by providing a supporting force to the user that is engaged and disengaged depending on the stage of the gait cycle the user is in. It is engaged when the leg is in stance, effectively pushing between the ball of the foot and the hips, and is disengaged during leg swing. This support force is provided by a linear actuator on each leg that consists of a compression spring, ball screw, and motor. It works by having the motor turn the ball screw, which moves a metal plate to either compress or decompress the spring. The actuator is designed to always be able to extend, to avoid limiting the user's motion. The spring is disengaged while the leg is in swing in order to reduce any impedance to the user's natural stride. The exoskeleton is also designed to minimize any range of motion limitations to reduce its restrictiveness. 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