Human Coincident Robot: A Non-contact Surrounding Robot Sharing the Coordinate with a Human Inside

Abstract

The use of wearable robots is gaining traction in the field of human augmentation due to their potential to augment human physical capabilities. However, the design and specification of these robots are often constrained by the physical limitations of the human body. This paper proposes a novel approach called the Human Coincident Robot (HCR), which maintains a fixed positional and rotational relationship with a human without physical contact using a mobile mechanism. We verify the feasibility of this concept through the design and implementation of a two-wheeled mobile robot controlled by sliding mode control. Our experiments with the prototype demonstrate that the implemented system can be used in a situation where a human walks naturally and suggest that the HCR has the potential to overcome the limitations of conventional wearable robots and provide new opportunities for human augmentation.