??Simulation of a Biped-Wheeled-Exoskeleton in OpenSim

Nowadays, the simulation software in biomechanics have a fundamental role in the analysis and the study of the human body’s dynamics. Opensim is one of the most important in this field of study. This open-source software system lets users develop and simulate a large variety of musculoskeletal model and create different movements of these models. In Opensim a model is a codified description of the form and function of a biomechanical system, which can include neural, muscular and skeletal structures, as well as artificial components like exoskeletons. These new robotic systems are increasingly in contact with human body and represent the most important examples of human-oriented robotic devices. In this thesis we will present design and simulation of an existing biped-wheeled exoskeleton for lower limbs using the Opensim software. We started the research editing the model of the exoskeleton on Opensim, linking together all the bodies that compose it according to device’s kinematics. This model of exoskeleton was coupled to a human musculoskeletal body present in Opensim, adding constraints between the two models so that the movements of exoskeleton were followed by the human body. Then, we continued performing initial tests of musculoskeletal model and evaluating its muscle activation pattern and its kinematics data during a walking gait simulation. After these analyses, we have performed the same simulations using the musculoskeletal model coupled with exoskeleton. These simulations were executed with the device in both passive and active form. We have done this for comparing the different obtained data, with and without exoskeleton, and so for evaluating the effect of it on humans’ gait. The effects of the device were seen, and the results are presented in this work.