@article {259606,
	title = {Quasi-Passive Leg Exoskeleton for Load Carrying Augmentation},
	journal = {International Journal of Humanoid Robotics, Special Issue: Active Exoskeletons},
	volume = {4},
	number = {3},
	year = {2007},
	pages = {487-506},
	abstract = {A quasi-passive leg exoskeleton is presented for load-carrying augmentation during walking. The exoskeleton has no actuators, only ankle and hip springs and a knee variable damper. Without a payload, the exoskeleton weighs 11.7kg and requires only 2 Watts of electrical power during loaded walking. For a 36kg payload, we demonstrate that the quasi-passive exoskeleton transfers on average 80\% of the load to the ground during the single support phase of walking. By measuring the rate of oxygen consumption on a study participant walking at a self-selected speed, we find that the exoskeleton slightly increases the walking metabolic cost of transport (COT) as compared to a standard loaded backpack (10\% increase). However, a similar exoskeleton without joint springs or damping control (zero-impedance exoskeleton) is found to increase COT by 23\% compared to the loaded backpack, highlighting the benefits of passive and quasi-passive joint mechanisms in the design of efficient, low-mass leg exoskeletons.},
	author = {Conor J Walsh and Ken Endo and Hugh Herr}
}
