應用於坐站訓練之線驅動下肢軟性外骨骼開發

Abstract

坐到站是日常生活中頻繁進行的動作，不僅是評估身體協調、平衡能力的重要指標，也常作為預測跌倒風險的依據。此動作需在短時間內完成大幅度的重心轉移，同時縮小支撐基底，高度仰賴下肢與軀幹的協調能力，因此下肢肌力不足的老年人或神經損傷患者（如中風患者），往往需依賴外部輔助支撐。其中中風患者常見的雙側不平衡負重問題，不僅大幅提升坐到站轉移時的跌倒風險，更嚴重影響其獨立生活的能力。

傳統輔助方式對照護者造成體力負擔，而現有器材常受限於使用空間或因剛性結構影響動作表現，且難以根據個體需求調整輔助策略，因此有必要開發穿戴舒適、輕量化且可個人化調整的穿戴式輔助裝置。

本研究旨在開發一款軟性穿戴式坐站輔助裝置，設計配合坐到站動作的階段性控制策略，並參考傳統輔助的力傳遞機制，透過馬達與纜線提供精準且可調整的輔助力，以達到輔助與訓練的雙重目的。研究首先針對坐到站的生物力學進行動作分析，並提出以運動學指標評估中風患者側向動態平衡表現的方法。裝置的評估實驗分為前測、短期訓練與後測三個階段，透過十六個表面肌電訊號感測器量測後背至下肢肌肉的激發強度變化，並利用動作捕捉系統分析裝置對關節角度範圍的影響，以此綜合衡量裝置的短期訓練效果。

實驗結果顯示，在訓練過程中使用者的股二頭肌與股外側肌平均激發強度顯著降低，且關節活動度未受裝置限制。這證明本裝置能有效輔助坐站動作，降低肌肉負擔，提升訓練效率與效果，為未來的復健與照護領域提供新的解決方案。

The sit-to-stand (STS) movement is a common daily task and a key indicator of physical coordination, balance, and fall risk. It requires rapid shift of center of mass (COM) and a reduction in base of support (BoS), placing high demands on lower extremities and trunk control. Older adults and individuals with neuromuscular impairments, such as stroke survivors, often need external assistance. Stroke-related asymmetrical weight-bearing further elevates fall risk and impairs independence.

Conventional assistive methods can strain caregivers, while existing equipment often limits movement or lack adaptability. To address these, this study presents a lightweight, wearable motor-cable-driven exosuit that delivers adjustable assistive force with a phase-dependent control strategy, aiming to provide both assistance and training functionality.

The study included a biomechanical analysis of STS and proposed a kinematic method to assess dynamic lateral stability in stroke patients. Device efficacy was evaluated across pre-test, training and post-test using sixteen surface electromyography (EMG) sensors for muscle activity and a motion capture system to assess joint kinematics.

Results showed significant reductions in biceps femoris and vastus lateralis activation during short-term training, with no restriction in joint range of motion. These findings indicate that the exosuit effectively reduces muscular demand without disrupting natural biomechanics, enhancing the efficiency of STS training. This wearable solution offers promising potential for rehabilitation and elderly care applications.