Ewellix supports Project MARCH

 

We support and sponsor Project MARCH VIII with our roller screws to drive the hip and ankle movements more dynamically and to make walking easier and more comfortable with the exoskeleton.

 

 

The goal of MARCH project is to improve the joints of the exoskeleton. The joints are the mechanical structures that mimic the movements of the walking pattern so that parts of the frame will be moved in the right direction. The exoskeleton contains two kinds of joints; a linear joint (a linear actuator) located in the hip and ankle, and a rotational joint located in the hip and the knee. This year the linear actuator contains a roller screw from Ewellix. This screw is called a planetary roller screw and gives the linear joint some key advantages to enable the exoskeleton to walk balanced. First of all, the planetary roller screw allows a faster walking pattern. This is important as the human body is essentially catching itself while falling over, thus needing legs that move fast enough to do so. With these screws, we can reach this speed and walk balanced.

 

The second important advantage of the planetary screw is the customizability of the ends. Because the screw is machined and grinded, we were able to design customized ends to accomplish a compact motor connection. This gives the linear joint a more compact form which is essential as the linear joint does need to fit within the dimensions of our pilot Koen.

 

 

The vision of MARCH project is to improve the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries. They want to accomplish this by designing a better exoskeleton each year since 2015. In the last few years MARCH project focused on dynamic walking, which means that the exoskeleton is more adaptable to daily life. This year as the 8th team we want to focus on balance. For the last few years crutches were used by our pilot to balance in the exoskeleton. A balancing exoskeleton means that our pilot no longer needs crutches, giving much more freedom of movement. By making it possible to resume daily activities, we are increasingly bringing the exoskeleton towards a reality of daily life.