Original title: Putting on "mechanical legs" Walking is not a dream - exoskeleton robots help people with physical disabilities move towards the future

【Intelligent Manufacturing of New Consumption】

◎ This reporter is Wu Yefan

In a rehabilitation training center in Fengtai District, Beijing, Shao Haipeng, a 35-year-old boy from Northeast China, is sweating profusely for rehabilitation training. His waist, abdomen, legs, and feet are covered in black "mechs". This set of equipment has a very vivid name - "exoskeleton robot", which is like an external skeleton of the human body, leading the wearer step by step forward.

From relying on a wheelchair to travel with paraplegia to now being able to walk hundreds of meters on crutches, Shao Haipeng has stepped out of the haze of falling from a high altitude with the help of exoskeleton robots.

In 2022, he wore an exoskeleton robot and completed the full marathon in stages; In 0, he wore an exoskeleton robot and served as the torchbearer of the Beijing Winter Paralympics. This year, his "ambitions" are even greater. "I want to get rid of my crutches and really walk on my own." He confidently told a reporter from Science and Technology Daily.

What makes exoskeleton robots so amazing?

Cai Xiaohui, product manager of Beijing Daai Robot Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Daai Robot"), told reporters that the exoskeleton robot is based on the principle of nerve center remodeling, and allows patients with hemiplegia, paraplegia, cerebral palsy and other patients to form a scientific standing and walking posture through wearable devices, promote fascial stretching, muscle strength growth, and stimulate central nervous system recovery in continuous training. By promoting standing and walking, exoskeleton robots can help patients with brain and spinal cord injuries improve cardiopulmonary function, improve gastrointestinal digestion, and prevent urinary tract infections.

The principle of exoskeleton robots seems simple, but the application is "inside". As a typical representative of the combination of medicine and engineering and man-machine, exoskeleton robots need to overcome two major technical difficulties, one is the human-machine fit, and the other is the accuracy of the algorithm.

The reporter observed that in Shao Haipeng's hip and knee joints, the exoskeleton robot is equipped with corresponding straps. Under the precise control of the algorithm, these straps can follow the curves of the human body and adjust the mode of movement. "For example, for an elderly person with a long-term bent knee joint, we can't force his leg straight, but the exoskeleton robot can adapt to his joint state and fit the patient's body." Cai Xiaohui added that the algorithm can also autonomously adjust the robot's stride length, gait, and pace according to the different rehabilitation stages and training needs of patients, so as to realize the organic combination of robot assistance and human behavior.

"Compared with other simple rehabilitation equipment or manual rehabilitation methods, exoskeleton robots can not only help us carry out accurate and scientific rehabilitation training, improve the recovery speed and effect, but also buy them home for training, which is more convenient." Shao Haipeng said.

The reporter learned that although the development of exoskeleton robots in China started late, it "runs fast", especially in application scenarios and treatment effects, which have international leading advantages. Nowadays, with the continuous development of technology, a new generation of exoskeleton robots has integrated artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which can autonomously recognize the patient's movement intention through sensors; At the same time, it can also provide matching exercise assistance according to the ground characteristics and changes in the surrounding terrain environment to help patients form a correct walking posture.

在我國，外骨骼機器人具有廣闊的應用前景。《中國脊髓損傷者生活品質及疾病負擔調研報告2023版》顯示，我國現有脊髓損傷患者374萬人，每年新增脊髓損傷患者約9萬人。目前，外骨骼機器人已進入全國各地上百家醫院，患者可以在醫院體驗這一前沿科技成果。一些地區已經把外骨骼機器人納入醫保。

"In the future, we will further promote the development of exoskeleton robot products to lightweight, low price, and AI, and realize the popularization of family exoskeleton robots like home appliances." Shuai Mei, founder of Daai Robot and professor at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said. (Wu Yefan)