In this letter, we propose a novel active weave named “18 Weave” using a thin McKibben muscle and report on the application to a prototype soft power support suit for the upper limb. The active weave utilizes the flexibility of the thin McKibben muscle, which is used for warps and wefts. From the proposed structure, we confirmed that a 19.4% additional displacement is achieved compared to a single artificial muscle. The flexible and lightweight assistance suit can be realized with the active weave that has advantages of flexibility and shape adaptability. We confirmed the compliance and fatigue alleviation effect of the suit. Measurements of the myopotentials confirmed significant decreases in the activities of the anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid, biceps brachii, and triceps brachii muscles in their integrated electromyogram (iEMG).

In this research, we report the evaluation of soft power support suit for upper limbs using ‘18 Weave’muscles. We have developed a novel active weave named‘18 Weave’using a thin McKibben muscle and orthoses based on a body measurement. We have protyped asssist suits based on these ideas. In this paper, we evaluate the power suit by electromyograph. Measurements of EMG confirmed significant decreases in iEMGs of the anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid, biceps brachii, and triceps brachii muscles.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot forms in a lower limb due to a prolonged period of inactivity. By improving the deep vein circulation through ankle exercises, it is possible to prevent DVT. However, current rehabilitation measures, such as manual physical therapy, are labor intensive and time consuming. The existing automatic exercise assisting devices are expensive and bulky. Hence, in this study, we designed a novel wearable DVT prevention device using thin McKibben muscles. Without a rigid structure, the device was composed of only soft materials, was extremely lightweight, and occupied little space around the leg. Ankle exercises in all directions, including dorsiflexion-plantarflexion, inversion-eversion, and abduction-adduction, could be achieved using the proposed DVT prevention device. The range of motion by this device was evaluated. The device achieved 60% of the range of motion for dorsi-plantarflexion, 95% for inversion-eversion and 80% for abduction-adduction.

This study reports on the design and construction of a body support suit based on two novel concepts: muscle textile and shifting the balancing posture of the body. The muscle textile is an active textile composed of soft thin muscles that provides a large supporting force, and is flexible and lightweight. Shifting the balancing posture of the body involves changing its neutral posture while relaxing the muscles, making it easier to perform tasks in uncomfortable positions and simplifying the control system of the support suit. These two ideas are employed herein to design a flexible, light, comfortable, and simple support suit system. We then propose and test a soft suit intended to assist humans in tasks involving unnatural arm positions based on this design. The performed subjective experiments confirmed that the 2 kg soft suit attained a self-weight compensation of up to 120° forward, a reduction of 33% in the integrated electromyogram in the brachialis muscle, and a suppression of 5% of body sway.

To find a new way of a thin McKibben muscle, we tried to fuse the thin McKibben muscle with fashion. Existing assist aim to support the body, but in contrast we produced clothes that move with the aim of entertaining people in cooperation with clothing experts. We made three clothes. One will make a man's dream come true and make people laugh, the others will facilitate communication and relieve human mind. Through handicapped people wore the clothes which we made and appeared the barrier-free fashion show and TV show, we showed a new way of the thin McKibben muscle in human communications.

In this research, we report that we developed prototype of the soft power support suit based on the knowledge of clothing design. There is a method using 3D measurement and plaster measurement as a way to design clothes. Based on this method, we propose to make measurements and clothing patterns for the power support suit. The concept makes it possible to realize power support suits that decreases the deviation of the mounting point and the burden during wearing. Based on the concept, the soft power support suit was prototyped and an operation test was conducted.

Power assistive orthoses and devices are required as means for reducing fatigue. Many assistive devices are “exoskeleton”. External hard structure that they have allow to support our motion powerfully. However, they tends to be hard and heavy. Otherwise, “endoskeleton” can’t support our motion powerfully. However, they are lightweight and flexible. Those characteristics reduce burdens of equipping assistive devices. Thin pneumatic artificial muscle have many advantages, including thin diameter, lightweight and flexible. Those advantages are suitable for endoskeleton. In this paper, we present the design and the prototype of delight suit for lifting of upper limbs. Through subjective experiments, the results show that delight suit support upper limb lifting movement and assist medial deltoid muscle.