An Underwater Exoskeleton for Scuba Diving: Reducing Air Consumption and Muscle Activation through Knee Assistance
Xianda Wu, Ming Xu, Zhihao Zhou, Wenjie Lou, Teng Zhang, Yalei Zhou, Jingeng Mai, Qining Wang
AI summary
Problem
Human underwater locomotion is highly inefficient and energy-consuming, yet existing wearable robots are designed for land and lack portable, waterproof solutions for diving assistance.
Approach
The researchers designed a cable-driven, waterproof exoskeleton that detects the kick phase in real time and applies assistive knee extension torque during the downward strike.
Key results
- 22.7% reduction in net air consumption
- 20.9% decrease in peak quadriceps activation
- 20.6% reduction in gastrocnemius muscle activation
- First portable, untethered exoskeleton validated for scuba diving assistance
Why it matters
Improves diver endurance and safety while establishing a new benchmark for wearable robotics in marine environments.
Abstract
Evolutionary pressures have pushed humans to be- come efficient walkers, but inefficient divers. People consume more energy to travel the same distance underwater than on land. In di- verse overground locomotion, emerging exoskeletons have reduced the metabolic cost of humans. Can we also improve the energy economy in underwater locomotion via exoskeletons? Here, we propose an underwater exoskeleton to assist scuba diving using flutter kick, by applying assistive knee extension torque during the strike phase of the diving kick cycle. When divers wore the powered exoskeleton, the average net air cost across six experienced divers was reduced by 22.7 ± 10.0% , and the peak quadriceps activation was decreased by 20.9 ± 7.5% , compared with normal diving without the exoskeleton. The average gastrocnemius activation also decreased by 20.6 ± 5.3% , suggesting that the divers suffi- ciently utilized the exoskeleton assistance. These results indicate that applying exoskeleton assistance is conducive to improving the endurance of human underwater diving and enhancing our ability to explore the underwater world. Our study extends the application boundary of wearable robots, and provides a reference for the design and assessment of future underwater assistive devices, with the potential to strengthen the connection between humans and the ocean. IndexTerms—Exoskeletons,humanperformanceaugmentation, marine robotics, underwater diving.