探索未来：水下外肢体机器人｜Exploring the Future of Wearable Robots: The Underwater Superlimb

我们近期发表在《Advanced Intelligent Systems》的研究，提出了一种可重构的水下外肢体，旨在作为可穿戴机器人协助潜水员执行水下任务。该论文的公共第一作者霍佳雨、王婧然为南方科技大学机械与能源工程系本科生，合作作者包括南方科技大学机械与能源工程系硕士研究生郭宇芹，南方科技大学机械与能源工程系本科生邱望宏杰、陈铭栋（陈铭栋现在是布朗大学攻读工业设计硕士研究生并为本论文提供原创原型设计、封面设计与模型渲染），MIT机械工程系教授Harry Asada（外肢体机器人概念的开创者），本文的共同通讯作者是设计学院助理教授万芳、机械与能源工程系助理教授宋超阳。该论文近期被选为AIS期刊11月背面封面论文。

Our study introduces a novel underwater superlimb designed as a wearable robot to assist divers, enabling them to perform multiple tasks while underwater. This innovative solution addresses the challenges of underwater exploration, where divers need to balance life support with complex operations. We aim to pave the way for wearable and reconfigurable underwater robotics.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202300245

我们无止境的好奇心和对未知的探索欲望导致了机器人领域的显著进展。尽管我们通常将机器人视为陆地任务的一部分，但我们踏上了一段旨在彻底改变潜水员与深蓝交互方式的旅程。我们的研究揭示了水下外肢体机器人的设计，这是一项突破性的尝试，有望改变潜水员在深水中的互动方式。

In our quest to unlock the potential of wearable robotics, our latest study presents a remarkable innovation that could transform the underwater world. We are proud to introduce the “Underwater Superlimb,” a cutting-edge wearable robot designed to provide divers with unparalleled mobility and multifunctional capabilities while freeing their hands for intricate tasks beneath the waves.

提升潜水员的机动性｜Enhancing Diver Mobility

我们的研究旨在彻底改变潜水员的水下体验。对于商业潜水，特别是自包含水下呼吸设备（SCUBA）潜水，需要在维持姿势平衡和执行精细任务之间取得微妙的平衡。潜水员所需的各种设备给他们的机动性和效率带来了重大负担。为了解决这一挑战，我们构思了水下外肢体机器人，这是一种可穿戴机器人系统，提供多功能方法，以增强潜水员的机动性和任务能力。

Our research aims to revolutionize the underwater experience for divers. Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) diving, especially for commercial purposes, demands a delicate balance between maintaining posture and performing intricate tasks. The plethora of equipment required by divers places a considerable burden on their mobility and efficiency. To address this challenge, we’ve devised the Underwater Superlimb, a wearable robotic system that offers a multifunctional approach to enhance diver mobility and task capabilities.

外肢体机器人｜Enter the World of Superlimbs

外肢体机器人给可穿戴机器人领域带来了创新性的转变。与传统义肢或外骨骼不同，后者主要侧重于替代丧失的运动功能或增强现有的功能，外肢体机器人提供了一种新颖的方法。这些可穿戴设备旨在协助用户同时执行多项任务，同时与其周围环境互动。

The concept of supernumerary robotic limbs, or “superlimbs,” brings an innovative twist to the field of wearable robotics. Unlike traditional prosthetics or exoskeletons, which primarily focus on either replacing lost motor functions or enhancing existing ones, superlimbs provide a novel approach. These wearable devices are designed to assist users in managing multiple tasks simultaneously while interacting with their surroundings.

克服水下挑战｜Overcoming Underwater Challenges

水下环境对潜水员提出了独特的挑战。水下视野受限，受水温、视野清晰度和潜水深度等因素影响，使简单的任务也变得具有挑战性。潜水员必须使用各种设备进行供气，包括SCUBA系统和佩戴在身体上的空气瓶。此外，水下的运动是三维的，与陆地上的二维运动不同。因此，水下运动通常需要通过使用鳍、手套和配重等设备的四肢完成，但移动速度要慢得多。潜水员的双手主要用于维持姿势，几乎没有空余的空间用于工具操作或任务完成。这个水下环境对潜水员的认知和身体提出了重大要求，使手操作和物理交互成为一项具有挑战性的任务。

Underwater conditions present unique challenges for divers. Reduced sensory feedback due to water temperature, limited visibility, and depth can make even simple tasks challenging. Divers must juggle essential life support equipment, such as SCUBA systems and air tanks, while navigating in three dimensions (3D). The need for various equipment like fins, gloves, and weights adds complexity to underwater mobility. Divers’ hands are primarily occupied with maintaining their posture, leaving little room for tool operation or task completion. This underwater environment places significant cognitive and physical demands on divers, making it a challenging space for human-robot interaction.

当前的水下可穿戴设备｜The Current State of Underwater Wearables

尽管有各种各样的可穿戴设备适用于潜水员，但许多设备在与潜水员或其环境互动方面仍缺乏智能和自主性。大多数潜水员的可穿戴设备，如鳍和手套，主要用于提高水下导航的效率或进行实时监控。然而，这些设备主要是机械性的，在智能方面进展有限。例如，潜水员推进装置通常附在四肢上，需要手动控制，常常会让潜水员的手忙碌。在潜水设备方面存在一个研究领域，该领域着重于水下环境中的人机互动，包括通过预先设置的动作向潜水员传递信息，以及通过平板电脑、标记或手势等输入方式潜水员操控机器人。然而，这些方法仍需要潜水员亲自操作，使他们的手忙碌。因此，水下潜水员的可穿戴设备在实现智能的人机互动和免手操作方面仍有研究空白。

While various wearable devices exist for divers, many still lack intelligence and autonomy when it comes to interacting with the divers or their environment. Most wearables for diving, such as fins and gloves, enhance underwater navigation or enable real-time monitoring. However, these devices are primarily mechanical and offer limited advancements in terms of intelligence. Diver propulsion units, for instance, are attached to the body limbs and require manual control, often leaving divers’ hands occupied. A research gap exists when it comes to hands-free underwater wearables with intelligent human-robot interaction capabilities.

水下外肢体机器人｜Introducing the Underwater Superlimb

我们的研究提出了创新的水下外肢体机器人，这是一种可穿戴设备，旨在彻底改变潜水。它具备可重构设计，可以让潜水员从姿势控制中释放双手，从而实现工具操作和水下机动性的新维度。这款独特的可穿戴机器人在可穿戴机器人领域具有突破性的概念，为潜水员提供了多功能协助。

Our research presents the innovative Underwater Superlimb, a wearable device that promises to revolutionize diving. It features a reconfigurable design, enabling divers to free their hands from posture controls while operating tools and exploring new dimensions of underwater mobility. This unique wearable robot is a breakthrough concept in wearable robotics, offering multifunctional assistance for divers.

可重构多功能｜Versatility in Action

水下外肢体机器人配备了一个推力矢量系统，具有两个3D打印的防水模块。这些模块可以进行调整和重构，以适应多种用途，包括作为潜水员的水下外肢体、游泳者的手持滑翔机、两栖机器人的四足外肢体，甚至可以作为独立的双单元水下自主移动器（AUV）进行操作。我们研究了水下外肢体机器人的运动学和动力学，并引入了一个滑模控制器，以确保在PyBullet中进行稳定的模拟。

The Underwater Superlimb boasts a thrust vectoring system, equipped with two 3D-printed, waterproofed modules. These modules can be adjusted and reconfigured for various purposes, including use as an underwater superlimb for divers, a hand-held glider for swimmers, a quadruped superlimb for amphibian robots, or even as a dual-unit Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) for independent underwater navigation. Our research involved developing the kinematics and dynamics of the prototype and its reconfigured modes. We also introduced a sliding-mode controller to ensure stable simulation in PyBullet.

水下可行性测试｜Field Tests Validate Feasibility

为了验证水下外肢体机器人的潜力，我们在游泳池中进行了测试，以验证潜水员佩戴时的基本功能。测试结果确认了水下外肢体机器人的可行性，展示了其免手操作的能力。我们的研究是第一个在文献中提出水下外肢体机器人概念的研究，为水下情景中可穿戴机器人的新可能性敞开了大门。

To validate the potential of the Underwater Superlimb, we conducted field tests with a test diver in a swimming pool. The results confirmed the feasibility of the underwater superlimb when worn by divers, showcasing its hands-free operation capabilities. Our study is the first to introduce the concept of an underwater superlimb in the literature, opening doors to new possibilities for wearable robotics in underwater scenarios.

创新挑战｜Uncharted Waters of Innovation

尽管我们已经证明了水下外肢体机器人的工程可行性，但我们的研究并非没有局限性。例如，我们承认捆扎过程仍然有待改进，以便潜水员可以自行穿戴，还需要进行不同水下模式的更高级实地测试。然而，我们相信我们的研究为水下情景中的可穿戴机器人的未来提供了引人注目的愿景。

While we have demonstrated the engineering feasibility of the Underwater Superlimb, our study is not without its limitations. For example, we acknowledge that the strapping process can be further refined for ease of use, and more advanced field tests in different underwater modes are yet to be conducted. However, we believe that our research presents a compelling vision for the future of wearable robotics in underwater scenarios.

未来之路｜The Path Forward

在未来的工作中，我们打算通过在护目镜上增加传感器来引入意图识别系统，以便检测喉咙振动和头部运动。在四足模式中，我们计划进行步态控制实验，例如通过两只腿使四足机器人站直，从而使其在水下像人类一样运动。我们还打算进行其他模式的实地测试，并改进可穿戴设计以进行耐久性测试。然而，我们在这项研究中的结果为在多功能可穿戴机器人领域开辟了新的可能性。

In our future work, we aim to introduce intention recognition into the system by incorporating sensors that can detect throat vibrations and head movements. Gait control experiments in quadruped mode are on the horizon, along with further field tests for the superlimb’s reconfigured modes. Our ultimate goal is to make underwater operations more efficient, hands-free, and intelligent through the integration of supernumerary robotic limbs in underwater wearables.

结论｜Conclusion

我们在水下机器人领域的探索之旅将我们带到了水下外肢体机器人的创造。这款创新的可穿戴机器人定将彻底改变潜水员的水下体验，提供免手操作和多功能性。作为水下外肢体机器人领域的先驱者，我们迫不及待地期待看到这一技术对水下探索和商业潜水产生的积极影响，使水下世界比以往更加便捷和高效。

Our journey into the world of underwater robotics has brought us to the creation of the Underwater Superlimb. This innovative wearable robot is set to transform the underwater experience for divers, offering hands-free operation and multifunctional capabilities. As pioneers in the field of underwater superlimbs, we are excited to see the positive impact this technology will have on underwater exploration and commercial diving, making the underwater world more accessible and efficient than ever before.

Jiayu Huo#, Jingran Wang#, Yuqin Guo, Wanghongjie Qiu, Mingdong Chen, Harry Asada, Fang Wan*, and Chaoyang Song* (2023). “Reconfigurable Design and Modeling of an Underwater Superlimb for Diving Assistance.” Advanced Intelligent Systems, 2300245. (Back Cover)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/aisy.202300245