Leg Exoskeleton Models

For an assignment, we were to create an artifact from a future world. In my future, people became completely dependent on exoskeletons for walking around, so I decided to build a physical iteration of said product.

Cardboard, Tape, Glue, String, Construction Paper, Measuring Tape, Scissors, Cutting Board, At least 2 wooden Mannequins, Normal Paper, Brass Brads, a leather and an Exacto knife

For the first iteration, I thought of perhaps making the "harness" for the first mannequin. I cut a sheet of paper into a rectangle at about the height of the lower torso and a centimeter longer than the circumference of the mannequin's lower torso. I then cut out four more rectangles of about the circumference of the mannequin's thigh. I then glued the bands around the mannequin's legs. These bands then were connected by smaller paper rectangles to function as knee braces. String is then used to connect the braces to the harness and paper was looped around the feet to represent the small mechanics that moved the feet.

The next step was to make a larger version of that. In doing so, the harness was able to fit a "seat" that connected to another cultural artifact that was not picked.The leg braces were made larger and instead of being connected by strips of paper were now connected by a string that was made into two slip knots that fastened around the leg at the places where the braces wrapped around the leg. This was to represent electrostriction, (which uses electricity to change the length of an object and doesn't work at scale, but it's the future, so I went a little crazy). String was then placed running up the thighs to the harness and a thicker string was used to connect the shoes to the lower braces. All of these were to move the body parts by simply pulling the strings. It did not work very well, so this iteration was ultimately scrapped and redesigned.

The third iteration was more of an effort to make the previous iteration's limb movement more functional. The knee joint is completely ignored. The slip knots previously used are made in a stronger string that wraps around the thigh and feet of the mannequin. the two ends of the string, as shown in the image, are joined together to give the structure more stability and alow it to move better. Loops of paper were then added to the harness to show how the movement system was connected to the harness and not separate entities.

The fourth iteration was made to be much larger. To accommodate, I made most of the pieces out of 5 large pieces of construction paper. To make the harness, I folded the first sheet of paper hotdog style and cut it down the folded line. I repeated the process on one of the halves. With the three sheets of paper, I layed them out length-wise such that the smaller halves overlapping the center piece by about one fourth. I then glued them together. I then tried it on and used the leather puncher to make a hole for a fastener to keep the harness belt on, with which I used a brass brad. I then taped the brad through one of the holes made to keep it in place. For the legs, I repeated the process mentioned earlier, but cut both sheets into fourths. I then measured the circumferences of my thigh and calf and taped the two of the fourths so that it was able to overlap with itself when on my leg. The upper thighs do not have any connection to the harness. I thought it would be cool if one of the iterations used a magnetic field to rotate and raise the knee. I then fastened some brads to each band and glued a string through the gap left by the overlapping sheets of paper on both of the calves. This was a way to represent the futuristic electrostriction needed for the device to move legs. The strings must be each three feet and go through the gap on the thigh bands. This should allow one to bend their knee by pulling the string. the string can wrap around one of the fasteners when not in use.

The fifth and final iteration of the assignment uses many of the same structures shown before. In addition, there is a cardboard rectangle, with a circle on one end, that I cut out that was the length of my knee to my ankle. The thought process was that I wanted to try a method that did not include string and this version is seen in the modern era. The cardboard circle is about the size of a knee. This is to be traced on a cardboard sheet and cut out with an exacto knife. Then, after all four are cut out, overlap two by the circle and use a leather puncher to make a small hole for a brass brad to fasten the two together. This should allow the two pieces to swivel. When placing it on the harness, it is important that the side closer to the leg is the lower piece of cardboard. To place it on the harness, Cut two more fourths out of the sheet of paper. This represents the swiveling device that rotates the leg. Wrap it around the harness in a manner similar to the one shown in the image. Afterwhich, add the leg bands by slipping them over the cardboard though the hole in the bands, tape it down, and add the fasteners. The cardboard should be on the outer side of one's leg, so the brad placement differs. Once done, it can be worn.