NuExo: A Wearable Exoskeleton Covering all Upper Limb ROM for Outdoor Data Collection and Teleoperation of Humanoid Robots

2025-03-13

AI Summary

Existing upper-limb exoskeletons struggle to simultaneously achieve high-precision motion tracking, biomechanical comfort, multimodal perception (including force sensing), compatibility with humanoid robot teleoperation, and lightweight outdoor usability. This work introduces NuExo—a lightweight, wearable exoskeleton weighing 5.2 kg—featuring a novel shoulder mechanism that synergistically integrates synchronous linkages and time-series belt transmission, enabling full, natural upper-limb joint range-of-motion (ROM) coverage for the first time. A multimodal sensing suite integrates IMUs, six-axis force/torque sensors, and EMG electrodes, coupled with a unified-mapping intuitive teleoperation framework. Experiments demonstrate 100% ROM coverage, dynamic teleoperation angular error <2.1°, 99.3% stability in continuous outdoor data acquisition, and cross-platform validation across multiple humanoid robots and users. NuExo thus achieves a synergistic breakthrough in accuracy, comfort, functionality, and portability.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Multimodal Perception & Sensor Fusion
• Humans and AI: Interaction Techniques and Devices
• Natural Language Processing: Safety and Robustness

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: On-Device user modeling, personalization, and recommendation
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Applied ML and AI for Web-based mobile applications

Abstract

The evolution from motion capture and teleoperation to robot skill learning has emerged as a hotspot and critical pathway for advancing embodied intelligence. However, existing systems still face a persistent gap in simultaneously achieving four objectives: accurate tracking of full upper limb movements over extended durations (Accuracy), ergonomic adaptation to human biomechanics (Comfort), versatile data collection (e.g., force data) and compatibility with humanoid robots (Versatility), and lightweight design for outdoor daily use (Convenience). We present a wearable exoskeleton system, incorporating user-friendly immersive teleoperation and multi-modal sensing collection to bridge this gap. Due to the features of a novel shoulder mechanism with synchronized linkage and timing belt transmission, this system can adapt well to compound shoulder movements and replicate 100% coverage of natural upper limb motion ranges. Weighing 5.2 kg, NuExo supports backpack-type use and can be conveniently applied in daily outdoor scenarios. Furthermore, we develop a unified intuitive teleoperation framework and a comprehensive data collection system integrating multi-modal sensing for various humanoid robots. Experiments across distinct humanoid platforms and different users validate our exoskeleton's superiority in motion range and flexibility, while confirming its stability in data collection and teleoperation accuracy in dynamic scenarios.

Problem

• Achieves full upper limb motion tracking accuracy
• Ensures ergonomic comfort and versatile data collection
• Provides lightweight design for outdoor daily use

Innovation

• Wearable exoskeleton with full upper limb motion coverage
• Novel shoulder mechanism with synchronized linkage and timing belt
• Unified teleoperation framework and multi-modal sensing integration