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Design of Locomotive Lower Limb Exoskeleton with Malaysian Anthropometric Characteristics

Norazam Aliman 1, Rizauddin Ramli 2, and Sallehuddin Mohamed Haris 3
1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Polytechnic of Sultan Azlan Shah, Behrang Stesen, Behrang, Perak, Malaysia Centre for Materials Engineering and Smart Manufacturing (MERCU), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, National University of Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
2. Centre for Materials Engineering and Smart Manufacturing (MERCU), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, National University of Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
3. Centre of Sustainable Design for Advanced Mechanical Systems, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, National University of Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract—The lower limb exoskeleton (LLE) is a device used to assist paraplegics in regaining their ability to walk. The LLE is capable of providing paraplegics with a better degree of locomotion than a wheelchair. However, in LLE design, size is a critical issue that needs to be considered. The LLE should be small in package, compact, and portable. Therefore, this study presents a strategy to solve the issue with dimensions in LLE design to match the Malaysian anthropometric characteristics. The TRIZ (Russian acronym for “Teoriya Resheniya Izobreatatelskikh Zadatch”) inventive principle method is used to generate the ideas discussed in this study. As a result, adjustable LLE designs that match the Malaysian anthropometric characteristics were developed, where the critical dimensions for LLE were obtained from previous anthropometric research in Malaysia.

Index Terms—innovative design, lower limb exoskeleton, Pugh’s total design process, product design specifications, TRIZ

Cite: Norazam Aliman, Rizauddin Ramli, and Sallehuddin Mohamed Haris, "Design of Locomotive Lower Limb Exoskeleton with Malaysian Anthropometric Characteristics," International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 304-309, March 2019. DOI: 10.18178/ijmerr.8.2.304-309