Design And Analysis of A Rope-Driven Hip Joint Rehabilitation Mechanism

Abstract

China's accelerated transition into a profoundly aging society has amplified the burden of age-related mobility impairments such as stroke. This demographic imperative motivates research on intelligent assistive devices, where lower limb rehabilitation exoskeletons—as human-robot symbiotic systems providing biomechanical motion assistance—hold significant potential. To overcome limitations of rigid designs in hip rehabilitation (including restricted compliance, high inertia, and secondary injury risks), we present a novel rope-driven 3-DOF mechanism replicating natural hip kinematics: flexion/extension, adduction/abduction, and internal/external rotation. The bio-inspired structure was developed through anatomical motion analysis, with cable actuation specifically applied to flexion/extension for enhanced adaptability. Kinematic modeling employed Denavit-Hartenberg parameters. Simulation and workspace analysis confirmed smooth operation and clinical feasibility, validating theoretical models and structural integrity.