Structural Design and Analysis of an Active Assistive Upper Limb Exoskeleton Robot for Power Plant Inspection

The active assistive upper limb exoskeleton robot is a force-enhancing exoskeleton system worn and controlled by the human body, providing assistance to the upper limbs. In power plants, tasks such as coal shoveling, coal transportation, and overhead maintenance or handling during inspections require significant upper limb movement. Prolonged work can lead to muscle fatigue, reducing efficiency and even posing safety risks. The active assistive upper limb exoskeleton robot is designed to enhance the wearer's upper limb strength by integrating modules such as drive components, transmission mechanisms, binding structures, sensor networks, and controllers. Through the external power of active joints, the system boosts the user's upper limb strength and reduces fatigue. Since the exoskeleton is intended for long-term use and high-intensity tasks, it must be lightweight, easy to wear and remove, and provide high assistive efficiency. This paper first conducts electromyographic fatigue tests on the major muscle groups of the upper arm and forearm during heavy lifting and carrying tasks to identify the muscle groups under the greatest strain. Next, a modular design of the exoskeleton's mechanical structure is carried out, followed by finite element simulations to analyze the stress, strain, and deformation of key components. The results show that the designed active assistive upper limb exoskeleton robot meets the required strength standards, confirming the reliability of the structural design.