Optimizing Exosuit Design Through Simulation: Impact of Anchor Points Positions on Metabolic Consumption

The design and user interaction of walking assistance devices are crucial for people with gait impairments. This study focuses on optimizing anchor point placement in a quasi-passive exosuit for hip flexion assistance to lower metabolic cost during walking. Simulations in OpenSim explored different actuator positions to minimize metabolic consumption. Simulation results indicated that anchor points on the frontal part of the knee reduced metabolic cost most effectively. However, experimental results from 11 healthy subjects walking on a treadmill showed that wearing the exosuit increased metabolic consumption, especially at higher speeds. These findings suggest that while simulations can guide design optimizations, they require experimental validation to ensure practical effectiveness.