Motion control methods of the pneumatic artificial muscle and upper body exoskeleton based on it

This article presents the synthesis of the control strategy for an active drive. The authors considers an upper body exoskeleton for lessening the strain on shoulder joint muscles, which happens during any long-range operation with hands above ones head or at a breast height. At the first the optimal control problem for a pneumatic artificial muscle is solved in order to provide the traction force function, which is given in advance, taking into account given mechanical limits. At the second stage stage the optimal control problem for raising the weight from area ”A” to area ”B”, using the impulse control structure, is posed. This research provides analysis and capacities to the optimal trajectory control process for the exoskeleton to reduce thr total energy consumption both inclusing the operator force effect and without it.