Design and Modeling of a Variable Stiffness Barrel Mechanism for Ankle Exoskeleton

In this paper, we present a novel variable-stiffness joint for a walking assistance ankle exoskeleton. This design is adaptive to user needs in the sense that it can aid in different types of motion, i.e. walking, jogging and running, through different stiffness levels. We created a concept that utilizes multiple springs that could contort into different orientations in order to create a fully compliant ankle exoskeleton. The design provides a wide range of assistive torques without constant replacement of parts or springs for each type of activity. This design can be utilized by a wide range of people engaging in different types of activities. Those could be individuals with an active lifestyle or the elderly suffering from muscular atrophy.