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Quirk DA, Chung J, Applegate M, Cherin JM, Dalton DM, Awad LN, Walsh CJ. Evaluating adaptiveness of an active back exosuit for dynamic lifting and maximum range of motion. Ergonomics 2024; 67:660-673. [PMID: 37482538 PMCID: PMC10803634 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2023.2240044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Back exosuits deliver mechanical assistance to reduce the risk of back injury, however, minimising restriction is critical for adoption. We developed the adaptive impedance controller to minimise restriction while maintaining assistance by modulating impedance based on the user's movement direction and nonlinear sine curves. The objective of this study was to compare active assistance, delivered by a back exosuit via our adaptive impedance controller, to three levels of assistance from passive elastics. Fifteen participants completed five experimental blocks (4 exosuits and 1 no-suit) consisting of a maximum flexion and a constrained lifting task. While a higher stiffness elastic reduced back extensor muscle activity by 13%, it restricted maximum range of motion (RoM) by 13°. The adaptive impedance approach did not restrict RoM while reducing back extensor muscle activity by 15%, when lifting. This study highlights an adaptive impedance approach might improve usability by circumventing the assistance-restriction trade-off inherent to passive approaches.Practitioner summary: This study demonstrates a soft active exosuit that delivers assistance with an adaptive impedance approach can provide reductions in overall back muscle activity without the impacts of restricted range of motion or perception of restriction and discomfort.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Adam Quirk
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Jinwon Chung
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Megan Applegate
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Jason M Cherin
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Diane M. Dalton
- College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Lou N. Awad
- College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Conor J. Walsh
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA
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2
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Lau JCL, Mombaur K. Can lower-limb exoskeletons support sit-to-stand motions in frail elderly without crutches? A study combining optimal control and motion capture. Front Neurorobot 2024; 18:1348029. [PMID: 38638361 PMCID: PMC11024314 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2024.1348029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
With the global geriatric population expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2050, different assistive technologies have been developed to tackle age-associated movement impairments. Lower-limb robotic exoskeletons have the potential to support frail older adults while promoting activities of daily living, but the need for crutches may be challenging for this population. Crutches aid safety and stability, but moving in an exoskeleton with them can be unnatural to human movements, and coordination can be difficult. Frail older adults may not have the sufficient arm strength to use them, or prolonged usage can lead to upper limb joint deterioration. The research presented in this paper makes a contribution to a more detailed study of crutch-less exoskeleton use, analyzing in particular the most challenging motion, sit-to-stand (STS). It combines motion capture and optimal control approaches to evaluate and compare the STS dynamics with the TWIN exoskeleton with and without crutches. The results show trajectories that are significantly faster than the exoskeleton's default trajectory, and identify the motor torques needed for full and partial STS assistance. With the TWIN exoskeleton's existing motors being able to support 112 Nm (hips) and 88 Nm (knees) total, assuming an ideal contribution from the device and user, the older adult would need to contribute a total of 8 Nm (hips) and 50 Nm (knees). For TWIN to provide full STS assistance, it would require new motors that can exert at least 121 Nm (hips) and 140 Nm (knees) total. The presented optimal control approaches can be replicated on other exoskeletons to determine the torques required with their mass distributions. Future improvements are discussed and the results presented lay groundwork for eliminating crutches when moving with an exoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan C. L. Lau
- CERC Human-Centred Robotics and Machine Intelligence, Systems Design Engineering and Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- BioRobotics Lab, Optimization and Biomechanics for Human Centred Robotics, Institute of Anthropomatics and Robotics (IAR), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Katja Mombaur
- CERC Human-Centred Robotics and Machine Intelligence, Systems Design Engineering and Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
- BioRobotics Lab, Optimization and Biomechanics for Human Centred Robotics, Institute of Anthropomatics and Robotics (IAR), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
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3
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Lotti N, Missiroli F, Galofaro E, Tricomi E, Di Domenico D, Semprini M, Casadio M, Brichetto G, De Michieli L, Tacchino A, Masia L. Soft Robotics to Enhance Upper Limb Endurance in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. Soft Robot 2024; 11:338-346. [PMID: 37870773 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2023.0024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system and can result in various symptoms, including muscle weakness, spasticity, and fatigue, ultimately leading to the deterioration of the musculoskeletal system. However, in recent years, exosuits have emerged as a game-changing solution to assist individuals with MS during their daily activities. These lightweight and affordable wearable robotic devices have gained immense popularity. In our study, we assessed the performance of an elbow exosuit on eight individuals with MS using high-density electromyography to measure biceps muscle activity. The results demonstrated that our prototype significantly reduced muscle effort during both dynamic and isometric tasks while increasing the elbow range of motion. In addition, the exosuit effectively delayed the onset of muscle fatigue, enhancing endurance for people with MS and enabling them to perform heavy duty tasks for a longer period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Lotti
- Medizintechnik Group, Institut für Technische Informatik (ZITI), Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Deutschland
| | - Francesco Missiroli
- Medizintechnik Group, Institut für Technische Informatik (ZITI), Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Deutschland
| | - Elisa Galofaro
- Medizintechnik Group, Institut für Technische Informatik (ZITI), Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Deutschland
| | - Enrica Tricomi
- Medizintechnik Group, Institut für Technische Informatik (ZITI), Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Deutschland
| | - Dario Di Domenico
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Italian Institute of Technology, Genova, Italy
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Marianna Semprini
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Italian Institute of Technology, Genova, Italy
| | - Maura Casadio
- Dipartimento di Informatica, Bioingegneria, Robotica e Ingegneria dei Sistemi (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Brichetto
- Scientific Research Area, Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Genoa, Italy
- AISM Rehabilitation Service of Genoa, Italian Multiple Sclerosis Society (AISM), Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Tacchino
- Scientific Research Area, Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Genoa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Masia
- Medizintechnik Group, Institut für Technische Informatik (ZITI), Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Deutschland
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4
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Barresi G, Ayaz H, Seigneur JM, Di Pino G, Bertolaso M. Editorial: Augmenting human experience and performance through interaction technologies. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1356658. [PMID: 38515966 PMCID: PMC10956473 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1356658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giacinto Barresi
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Hasan Ayaz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Drexel Solutions Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- A. J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Center for Injury Research and Prevention, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Giovanni Di Pino
- NEXT: Neurophysiology and Neuroengineering of Human-Technology Interaction Research Unit, Universitá Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Bertolaso
- Research Unit of Philosophy of Science and Human Development, Universitá Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
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5
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Michałko A, Di Stefano N, Campo A, Leman M. Enhancing human-human musical interaction through kinesthetic haptic feedback using wearable exoskeletons: theoretical foundations, validation scenarios, and limitations. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1327992. [PMID: 38515976 PMCID: PMC10954903 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1327992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In this perspective paper, we explore the use of haptic feedback to enhance human-human interaction during musical tasks. We start by providing an overview of the theoretical foundation that underpins our approach, which is rooted in the embodied music cognition framework, and by briefly presenting the concepts of action-perception loop, sensorimotor coupling and entrainment. Thereafter, we focus on the role of haptic information in music playing and we discuss the use of wearable technologies, namely lightweight exoskeletons, for the exchange of haptic information between humans. We present two experimental scenarios in which the effectiveness of this technology for enhancing musical interaction and learning might be validated. Finally, we briefly discuss some of the theoretical and pedagogical implications of the use of technologies for haptic communication in musical contexts, while also addressing the potential barriers to the widespread adoption of exoskeletons in such contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Michałko
- Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, IPEM Institute of Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nicola Di Stefano
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Adriaan Campo
- Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, IPEM Institute of Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marc Leman
- Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, IPEM Institute of Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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6
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Wang Q, Chen C, Mu X, Wang H, Wang Z, Xu S, Guo W, Wu X, Li W. A Wearable Upper Limb Exoskeleton System and Intelligent Control Strategy. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:129. [PMID: 38534814 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9030129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Heavy lifting operations frequently lead to upper limb muscle fatigue and injury. In order to reduce muscle fatigue, auxiliary force for upper limbs can be provided. This paper presents the development and evaluation of a wearable upper limb exoskeleton (ULE) robot system. A flexible cable transmits auxiliary torque and is connected to the upper limb by bypassing the shoulder. Based on the K-nearest neighbors (KNN) algorithm and integrated fuzzy PID control strategy, the ULE identifies the handling posture and provides accurate active auxiliary force automatically. Overall, it has the quality of being light and easy to wear. In unassisted mode, the wearer's upper limbs minimally affect the range of movement. The KNN algorithm uses multi-dimensional motion information collected by the sensor, and the test accuracy is 94.59%. Brachioradialis muscle (BM), triceps brachii (TB), and biceps brachii (BB) electromyogram (EMG) signals were evaluated by 5 kg, 10 kg, and 15 kg weight conditions for five subjects, respectively, during lifting, holding, and squatting. Compared with the ULE without assistance and with assistance, the average peak values of EMG signals of BM, TB, and BB were reduced by 19-30% during the whole handling process, which verified that the developed ULE could provide practical assistance under different load conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Wang
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
| | - Chunjie Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xinxing Mu
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
| | - Haibin Wang
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhuo Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Sheng Xu
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Weilun Guo
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
| | - Xinyu Wu
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Weimin Li
- Shandong Zhongke Advanced Technology Co., Ltd., Jinan 250100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
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7
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Proietti T, Nuckols K, Grupper J, Schwerz de Lucena D, Inirio B, Porazinski K, Wagner D, Cole T, Glover C, Mendelowitz S, Herman M, Breen J, Lin D, Walsh C. Combining soft robotics and telerehabilitation for improving motor function after stroke. Wearable Technol 2024; 5:e1. [PMID: 38510985 PMCID: PMC10952055 DOI: 10.1017/wtc.2023.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Telerehabilitation and robotics, either traditional rigid or soft, have been extensively studied and used to improve hand functionality after a stroke. However, a limited number of devices combined these two technologies to such a level of maturity that was possible to use them at the patients' home, unsupervised. Here we present a novel investigation that demonstrates the feasibility of a system that integrates a soft inflatable robotic glove, a cloud-connected software interface, and a telerehabilitation therapy. Ten chronic moderate-to-severe stroke survivors independently used the system at their home for 4 weeks, following a software-led therapy and being in touch with occupational therapists. Data from the therapy, including automatic assessments by the robot, were available to the occupational therapists in real-time, thanks to the cloud-connected capability of the system. The participants used the system intensively (about five times more movements per session than the standard care) for a total of more than 8 hr of therapy on average. We were able to observe improvements in standard clinical metrics (FMA +3.9 ± 4.0, p < .05, COPM-P + 2.5 ± 1.3, p < .05, COPM-S + 2.6 ± 1.9, p < .05, MAL-AOU +6.6 ± 6.5, p < .05) and range of motion (+88%) at the end of the intervention. Despite being small, these improvements sustained at follow-up, 2 weeks after the end of the therapy. These promising results pave the way toward further investigation for the deployment of combined soft robotic/telerehabilitive systems at-home for autonomous usage for stroke rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Proietti
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kristin Nuckols
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jesse Grupper
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Diogo Schwerz de Lucena
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bianca Inirio
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Diana Wagner
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Tazzy Cole
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Christina Glover
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Mendelowitz
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Maxwell Herman
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Joan Breen
- Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital, Bradford, MA, USA
| | - David Lin
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- VA RR&D Center for Neurorestoration and Neurotechnology, Rehabilitation R&D Service, Department of VA Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Conor Walsh
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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8
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Sterke BT, Poggensee KL, Ribbers GM, Lemus D, Vallery H. Light-Weight Wearable Gyroscopic Actuators Can Modulate Balance Performance and Gait Characteristics: A Proof-of-Concept Study. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2841. [PMID: 37957986 PMCID: PMC10647239 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11212841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Falling is a major cause of morbidity, and is often caused by a decrease in postural stability. A key component of postural stability is whole-body centroidal angular momentum, which can be influenced by control moment gyroscopes. In this proof-of-concept study, we explore the influence of our wearable robotic gyroscopic actuator "GyroPack" on the balance performance and gait characteristics of non-impaired individuals (seven female/eight male, 30 ± 7 years, 68.8 ± 8.4 kg). Participants performed a series of balance and walking tasks with and without wearing the GyroPack. The device displayed various control modes, which were hypothesised to positively, negatively, or neutrally impact postural control. When configured as a damper, the GyroPack increased mediolateral standing time and walking distance, on a balance beam, and decreased trunk angular velocity variability, while walking on a treadmill. When configured as a negative damper, both peak trunk angular rate and trunk angular velocity variability increased during treadmill walking. This exploratory study shows that gyroscopic actuators can influence balance and gait kinematics. Our results mirror the findings of our earlier studies; though, with more than 50% mass reduction of the device, practical and clinical applicability now appears within reach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram T. Sterke
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (K.L.P.); (G.M.R.); (H.V.)
- Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands;
| | - Katherine L. Poggensee
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (K.L.P.); (G.M.R.); (H.V.)
- Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands;
| | - Gerard M. Ribbers
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (K.L.P.); (G.M.R.); (H.V.)
- Rijndam Revalidatie, Westersingel 300, 3015 LJ Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Lemus
- Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands;
| | - Heike Vallery
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; (K.L.P.); (G.M.R.); (H.V.)
- Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands;
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Rhine-Westphalia Technical University of Aachen, 52062 Aachen, Germany
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9
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Trigili E, Hirche S. Editorial: Wearable robotics in the rehabilitation continuum of care: assessment, treatment and home assistance. Front Neurorobot 2023; 17:1305786. [PMID: 37927893 PMCID: PMC10623441 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2023.1305786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Trigili
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sandra Hirche
- Chair of Information-Oriented Control, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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10
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Sarkisian SV, Gabert L, Lenzi T. Series-elastic actuator with two degree-of-freedom PID control improves torque control in a powered knee exoskeleton. Wearable Technol 2023; 4:e25. [PMID: 38510590 PMCID: PMC10952049 DOI: 10.1017/wtc.2023.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Powered exoskeletons need actuators that are lightweight, compact, and efficient while allowing for accurate torque control. To satisfy these requirements, researchers have proposed using series elastic actuators (SEAs). SEAs use a spring in series with rotary or linear actuators. The spring compliance, in conjunction with an appropriate control scheme, improves torque control, efficiency, output impedance, and disturbance rejection. However, springs add weight to the actuator and complexity to the control, which may have negative effects on the performance of the powered exoskeleton. Therefore, there is an unmet need for new SEA designs that are lighter and more efficient than available systems, as well as for control strategies that push the performance of SEA-based exoskeletons without requiring complex modeling and tuning. This article presents the design, development, and testing of a novel SEA with high force density for powered exoskeletons, as well as the use of a two degree-of-freedom (2DOF) PID system to improve output impedance and disturbance rejection. Benchtop testing results show reduced output impedance and damping values when using a 2DOF PID controller as compared to a 1DOF PID controller. Human experiments with three able-bodied subjects (N = 3) show improved torque tracking with reduced root-mean-square error by 45.2% and reduced peak error by 49.8% when using a 2DOF PID controller. Furthermore, EMG data shows a reduction in peak EMG value when using the exoskeleton in assistive mode compared to the exoskeleton operating in transparent mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergei V. Sarkisian
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Utah Robotics Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Lukas Gabert
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Utah Robotics Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Tommaso Lenzi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Utah Robotics Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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11
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Xu W, Guo Y, Bravo C, Ben-Tzvi P. Design, Control, and Experimental Evaluation of A Novel Robotic Glove System for Patients with Brachial Plexus Injuries. IEEE T ROBOT 2023; 39:1637-1652. [PMID: 37035529 PMCID: PMC10079272 DOI: 10.1109/tro.2022.3220973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents the development of an exoskeleton glove system for people who suffer from brachial plexus injuries, aiming to assist their lost grasping functionality. The robotic system consists of a portable glove system and an embedded controller. The glove system consists of Linear Series Elastic Actuators (LSEA), Rotary Series Elastic Actuators (RSEA), and optimized finger linkages to provide imitated human motion to each finger and a coupled motion of the hand. The design principles and optimization strategies were investigated to balance functionality, portability, and stability. The model-based force control strategy compensated with a backlash model and model-free force control strategy are presented and compared. Results show that our proposed model-free control method achieves the goal of accurate force control. Finally, experiments were conducted with the prototype of the developed integrated exoskeleton glove system. Results from 3 subjects with 150 trials show that our proposed exoskeleton glove system has the potential to be used as a rehabilitation device for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenda Xu
- Mechanical Engineering department in Virginia Tech
| | - Yunfei Guo
- Electrical and Computer Engineering department in Virginia Tech
| | - Cesar Bravo
- Carilion Clinic Institute of Orthopaedics and Neurosciences, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
| | - Pinhas Ben-Tzvi
- Electrical and Mechanical Engineering departments in Virginia Tech
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12
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Mutlu R, Singh D, Tawk C, Sariyildiz E. A 3D-Printed Soft Haptic Device with Built-in Force Sensing Delivering Bio-Mimicked Feedback. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:biomimetics8010127. [PMID: 36975357 PMCID: PMC10099733 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8010127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Haptics plays a significant role not only in the rehabilitation of neurological disorders, such as stroke, by substituting necessary cognitive information but also in human-computer interfaces (HCIs), which are now an integral part of the recently launched metaverse. This study proposes a unique, soft, monolithic haptic feedback device (SoHapS) that was directly manufactured using a low-cost and open-source fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer by employing a combination of soft conductive and nonconductive thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) materials (NinjaTek, USA). SoHapS consists of a soft bellow actuator and a soft resistive force sensor, which are optimized using finite element modeling (FEM). SoHapS was characterized both mechanically and electrically to assess its performance, and a dynamic model was developed to predict its force output with given pressure inputs. We demonstrated the efficacy of SoHapS in substituting biofeedback with tactile feedback, such as gripping force, and proprioceptive feedback, such as finger flexion-extension positions, in the context of teleoperation. With its intrinsic properties, SoHapS can be integrated into rehabilitation robots and robotic prostheses, as well as augmented, virtual, and mixed reality (AR/VR/MR) systems, to induce various types of bio-mimicked feedback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahim Mutlu
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong in Dubai, Dubai P.O. Box 20183, United Arab Emirates
- Intelligent Robotics & Autonomous Systems Co (iR@SC), RA Engineering, Shellharbour, NSW 2529, Australia
| | - Dilpreet Singh
- Biofabrication and Tissue Morphology (BTM) Group, Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Faculty of Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Charbel Tawk
- School of Engineering, Department of Industrial and Mechanical Engineering, Lebanese American University, Byblos P.O. Box 36, Lebanon
| | - Emre Sariyildiz
- Applied Mechatronics and Biomedical Engineering Research (AMBER) Group, School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
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Mitsopoulos K, Fiska V, Tagaras K, Papias A, Antoniou P, Nizamis K, Kasimis K, Sarra PD, Mylopoulou D, Savvidis T, Praftsiotis A, Arvanitidis A, Lyssas G, Chasapis K, Moraitopoulos A, Astaras A, Bamidis PD, Athanasiou A. NeuroSuitUp: System Architecture and Validation of a Motor Rehabilitation Wearable Robotics and Serious Game Platform. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:3281. [PMID: 36991992 PMCID: PMC10053382 DOI: 10.3390/s23063281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This article presents the system architecture and validation of the NeuroSuitUp body-machine interface (BMI). The platform consists of wearable robotics jacket and gloves in combination with a serious game application for self-paced neurorehabilitation in spinal cord injury and chronic stroke. METHODS The wearable robotics implement a sensor layer, to approximate kinematic chain segment orientation, and an actuation layer. Sensors consist of commercial magnetic, angular rate and gravity (MARG), surface electromyography (sEMG), and flex sensors, while actuation is achieved through electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and pneumatic actuators. On-board electronics connect to a Robot Operating System environment-based parser/controller and to a Unity-based live avatar representation game. BMI subsystems validation was performed using exercises through a Stereoscopic camera Computer Vision approach for the jacket and through multiple grip activities for the glove. Ten healthy subjects participated in system validation trials, performing three arm and three hand exercises (each 10 motor task trials) and completing user experience questionnaires. RESULTS Acceptable correlation was observed in 23/30 arm exercises performed with the jacket. No significant differences in glove sensor data during actuation state were observed. No difficulty to use, discomfort, or negative robotics perception were reported. CONCLUSIONS Subsequent design improvements will implement additional absolute orientation sensors, MARG/EMG based biofeedback to the game, improved immersion through Augmented Reality and improvements towards system robustness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Mitsopoulos
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Fiska
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Tagaras
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasios Papias
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Antoniou
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Nizamis
- Department of Design, Production and Management, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Konstantinos Kasimis
- Department of Physiotherapy, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Paschalina-Danai Sarra
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Diamanto Mylopoulou
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Theodore Savvidis
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Apostolos Praftsiotis
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasios Arvanitidis
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - George Lyssas
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Chasapis
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexandros Moraitopoulos
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexander Astaras
- Department of Computer Science, American College of Thessaloniki, 55535 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Panagiotis D. Bamidis
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alkinoos Athanasiou
- Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Laboratory, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
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14
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Moeller T, Moehler F, Krell-Roesch J, Dežman M, Marquardt C, Asfour T, Stein T, Woll A. Use of Lower Limb Exoskeletons as an Assessment Tool for Human Motor Performance: A Systematic Review. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:3032. [PMID: 36991743 PMCID: PMC10057915 DOI: 10.3390/s23063032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Exoskeletons are a promising tool to support individuals with a decreased level of motor performance. Due to their built-in sensors, exoskeletons offer the possibility of continuously recording and assessing user data, for example, related to motor performance. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of studies that rely on using exoskeletons to measure motor performance. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review, following the PRISMA Statement guidelines. A total of 49 studies using lower limb exoskeletons for the assessment of human motor performance were included. Of these, 19 studies were validity studies, and six were reliability studies. We found 33 different exoskeletons; seven can be considered stationary, and 26 were mobile exoskeletons. The majority of the studies measured parameters such as range of motion, muscle strength, gait parameters, spasticity, and proprioception. We conclude that exoskeletons can be used to measure a wide range of motor performance parameters through built-in sensors, and seem to be more objective and specific than manual test procedures. However, since these parameters are usually estimated from built-in sensor data, the quality and specificity of an exoskeleton to assess certain motor performance parameters must be examined before an exoskeleton can be used, for example, in a research or clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Moeller
- Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Felix Moehler
- Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Janina Krell-Roesch
- Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Miha Dežman
- Institute for Anthropomatics and Robotics, High Performance Humanoid Technologies (H2T), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Charlotte Marquardt
- Institute for Anthropomatics and Robotics, High Performance Humanoid Technologies (H2T), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Tamim Asfour
- Institute for Anthropomatics and Robotics, High Performance Humanoid Technologies (H2T), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Thorsten Stein
- Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Alexander Woll
- Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
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15
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Wu TLY, Murphy A, Chen C, Kulić D. Adaptive cueing strategy for gait modification: A case study using auditory cues. Front Neurorobot 2023; 17:1127033. [PMID: 37033414 PMCID: PMC10076772 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2023.1127033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
People with Parkinson's (PwP) experience gait impairments that can be improved through cue training, where visual, auditory, or haptic cues are provided to guide the walker's cadence or step length. There are two types of cueing strategies: open and closed-loop. Closed-loop cueing may be more effective in addressing habituation and cue dependency, but has to date been rarely validated with PwP. In this study, we adapt a human-in-the-loop framework to conduct preliminary analysis with four PwP. The closed-loop framework learns an individualized model of the walker's responsiveness to cues and generates an optimized cue based on the model. In this feasibility study, we determine whether participants in early stages of Parkinson's can respond to the novel cueing framework, and compare the performance of the framework to two alternative cueing strategies (fixed/proportional approaches) in changing the participant's cadence to two target cadences (speed up/slow down). The preliminary results show that the selection of the target cadence has an impact on the participant's gait performance. With the appropriate target, the framework and the fixed approaches perform similarly in slowing the participants' cadence. However, the proposed framework demonstrates better efficiency, explainability, and robustness across participants. Participants also have the highest retention rate in the absence of cues with the proposed framework. Finally, there is no clear benefit of using the proportional approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina L. Y. Wu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- *Correspondence: Tina L. Y. Wu
| | - Anna Murphy
- Clinical Research Centre for Movement Disorders and Gait, Monash Health, Cheltenham, VIC, Australia
| | - Chao Chen
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Dana Kulić
- Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Dana Kulić
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16
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Kennard M, Kadone H, Shimizu Y, Suzuki K. Passive Exoskeleton with Gait-Based Knee Joint Support for Individuals with Cerebral Palsy. Sensors (Basel) 2022; 22:8935. [PMID: 36433532 PMCID: PMC9699336 DOI: 10.3390/s22228935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder with a variety of symptoms that can affect muscle coordination and movement. Crouch gait is one such symptom that is defined as excessive knee flexion accompanied by a crouched posture. This paper introduces a passive exoskeleton to support the knee joint during stance of individuals with cerebral palsy that are affected by crouch gait. The exoskeleton utilizes a hydraulic disc brake mechanism that is actuated only by the body weight and gait of the wearer to provide a braking torque at the knee joint. This passive, gait-based control method aims to offer a compact, lightweight, and simple alternative to existing exoskeletons. Preliminary experiments were conducted to verify the mechanics, safety, and braking capabilities of the device with healthy participants. A pilot study with an individual with cerebral palsy was then conducted. The individual with cerebral palsy showed a reduction in hip joint angle when using the device (18.8∘ and 21.7∘ for left and right sides, respectively). The muscle co-activation index was also reduced from 0.48 to 0.24 on the right side and from 0.17 to 0.017 on the left side. However, changes such as activation timing and device training need to be improved to better support the user.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Kennard
- School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Hideki Kadone
- Center for Cybernics Research and Center for Innovative Medicine and Engineering, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Yukiyo Shimizu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Kenji Suzuki
- Faculty of Systems, Information and Engineering, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
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17
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Athanasiou A, Mitsopoulos K, Praftsiotis A, Astaras A, Antoniou P, Pandria N, Petronikolou V, Kasimis K, Lyssas G, Terzopoulos N, Fiska V, Kartsidis P, Savvidis T, Arvanitidis A, Chasapis K, Moraitopoulos A, Nizamis K, Kalfas A, Iakovidis P, Apostolou T, Magras I, Bamidis P. Neurorehabilitation Through Synergistic Man-Machine Interfaces Promoting Dormant Neuroplasticity in Spinal Cord Injury: Protocol for a Nonrandomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2022; 11:e41152. [PMID: 36099009 PMCID: PMC9516361 DOI: 10.2196/41152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spinal cord injury (SCI) constitutes a major sociomedical problem, impacting approximately 0.32-0.64 million people each year worldwide; particularly, it impacts young individuals, causing long-term, often irreversible disability. While effective rehabilitation of patients with SCI remains a significant challenge, novel neural engineering technologies have emerged to target and promote dormant neuroplasticity in the central nervous system. Objective This study aims to develop, pilot test, and optimize a platform based on multiple immersive man-machine interfaces offering rich feedback, including (1) visual motor imagery training under high-density electroencephalographic recording, (2) mountable robotic arms controlled with a wireless brain-computer interface (BCI), (3) a body-machine interface (BMI) consisting of wearable robotics jacket and gloves in combination with a serious game (SG) application, and (4) an augmented reality module. The platform will be used to validate a self-paced neurorehabilitation intervention and to study cortical activity in chronic complete and incomplete SCI at the cervical spine. Methods A 3-phase pilot study (clinical trial) was designed to evaluate the NeuroSuitUp platform, including patients with chronic cervical SCI with complete and incomplete injury aged over 14 years and age-/sex-matched healthy participants. Outcome measures include BCI control and performance in the BMI-SG module, as well as improvement of functional independence, while also monitoring neuropsychological parameters such as kinesthetic imagery, motivation, self-esteem, depression and anxiety, mental effort, discomfort, and perception of robotics. Participant enrollment into the main clinical trial is estimated to begin in January 2023 and end by December 2023. Results A preliminary analysis of collected data during pilot testing of BMI-SG by healthy participants showed that the platform was easy to use, caused no discomfort, and the robotics were perceived positively by the participants. Analysis of results from the main clinical trial will begin as recruitment progresses and findings from the complete analysis of results are expected in early 2024. Conclusions Chronic SCI is characterized by irreversible disability impacting functional independence. NeuroSuitUp could provide a valuable complementary platform for training in immersive rehabilitation methods to promote dormant neural plasticity. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05465486; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05465486 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/41152
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Affiliation(s)
- Alkinoos Athanasiou
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Mitsopoulos
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Apostolos Praftsiotis
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexander Astaras
- Computer Science Department, Division of Science and Technology, American College of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Antoniou
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Niki Pandria
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasileia Petronikolou
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Kasimis
- Department of Physiotherapy, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - George Lyssas
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikos Terzopoulos
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasilki Fiska
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Kartsidis
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Theodoros Savvidis
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasios Arvanitidis
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Chasapis
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexandros Moraitopoulos
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Kostas Nizamis
- Department of Design, Production and Management, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Anestis Kalfas
- Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics and Turbo-machinery, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Paris Iakovidis
- Department of Physiotherapy, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Thomas Apostolou
- Department of Physiotherapy, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioannis Magras
- Second Department of Neurosurgery, Ippokrateio General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Bamidis
- Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Rykaczewski K. Thermophysiological aspects of wearable robotics: Challenges and opportunities. Temperature (Austin) 2022; 10:313-325. [PMID: 37554385 PMCID: PMC10405755 DOI: 10.1080/23328940.2022.2113725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Technological advancements in the last two decades have enabled development of a variety of mechanically supporting wearable robots (i.e. exoskeletons) that are transitioning to practice in medical and industrial settings. The feedback from industry and recent controlled studies is highlighting thermal discomfort as a major reason for the disuse of the devices and a substantial barrier to their long-term adoption. Furthermore, a brief overview of the devices and their intended applications reveals that many of the potential users are likely to face thermal comfort issues because of either high exertion or medically related high heat sensitivity. The aim of this review is to discuss these emerging thermal challenges and opportunities surrounding wearable robots. This review discusses mechanisms, potential solutions, and a platform for systematically measuring heat transfer inhibition caused by wearing of an exoskeleton. Lastly, the potential for substantial metabolic rate reduction provided by exoskeletons to reduce worker thermal strain in warm-to-hot conditions is also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Rykaczewski
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, US
- Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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19
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Medrano RL, Thomas GC, Rouse EJ, Gregg RD. Analysis of the Bayesian Gait-State Estimation Problem for Lower-Limb Wearable Robot Sensor Configurations. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2022; 7:7463-7470. [PMID: 35782346 PMCID: PMC9246062 DOI: 10.1109/lra.2022.3183790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Many exoskeletons today are primarily tested in controlled, steady-state laboratory conditions that are unrealistic representations of their real-world usage in which walking conditions (e.g., speed, slope, and stride length) change constantly. One potential solution is to detect these changing walking conditions online using Bayesian state estimation to deliver assistance that continuously adapts to the wearer's gait. This paper investigates such an approach in silico, aiming to understand 1) which of the various Bayesian filter assumptions best match the problem, and 2) which gait parameters can be feasibly estimated with different combinations of sensors available to different exoskeleton configurations (pelvis, thigh, shank, and/or foot). Our results suggest that the assumptions of the Extended Kalman Filter are well suited to accurately estimate phase, stride frequency, stride length, and ramp inclination with a wide variety of sparse sensor configurations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Leo Medrano
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Robotics Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Gray Cortright Thomas
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Robotics Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Elliott J. Rouse
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Robotics Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Robert D. Gregg
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Robotics Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to determine how exoskeletons could assist Australian Defence Force personnel with manual handling tasks. BACKGROUND Musculoskeletal injuries due to manual handling are physically damaging to personnel and financially costly to the Australian Defence Force. Exoskeletons may minimize injury risk by supporting, augmenting, and/or amplifying the user's physical abilities. Exoskeletons are therefore of interest in determining how they could support the unique needs of military manual handling personnel. METHOD Industrial and military exoskeleton studies from 1990 to 2019 were identified in the literature. This included 67 unique exoskeletons, for which Information about their current state of development was tabulated. RESULTS Exoskeleton support of manual handling tasks is largely through squat/deadlift (lower limb) systems (64%), with the proposed use case for these being load carrying (42%) and 78% of exoskeletons being active. Human-exoskeleton analysis was the most prevalent form of evaluation (68%) with reported reductions in back muscle activation of 15%-54%. CONCLUSION The high frequency of citations of exoskeletons targeting load carrying reflects the need for devices that can support manual handling workers. Exoskeleton evaluation procedures varied across studies making comparisons difficult. The unique considerations for military applications, such as heavy external loads and load asymmetry, suggest that a significant adaptation to current technology or customized military-specific devices would be required for the introduction of exoskeletons into a military setting. APPLICATION Exoskeletons in the literature and their potential to be adapted for application to military manual handling tasks are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kurt L Mudie
- 2222 Defence Science and Technology (DST), Melbourne, Australia
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Gantenbein J, Dittli J, Meyer JT, Gassert R, Lambercy O. Intention Detection Strategies for Robotic Upper-Limb Orthoses: A Scoping Review Considering Usability, Daily Life Application, and User Evaluation. Front Neurorobot 2022; 16:815693. [PMID: 35264940 PMCID: PMC8900616 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2022.815693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wearable robotic upper limb orthoses (ULO) are promising tools to assist or enhance the upper-limb function of their users. While the functionality of these devices has continuously increased, the robust and reliable detection of the user's intention to control the available degrees of freedom remains a major challenge and a barrier for acceptance. As the information interface between device and user, the intention detection strategy (IDS) has a crucial impact on the usability of the overall device. Yet, this aspect and the impact it has on the device usability is only rarely evaluated with respect to the context of use of ULO. A scoping literature review was conducted to identify non-invasive IDS applied to ULO that have been evaluated with human participants, with a specific focus on evaluation methods and findings related to functionality and usability and their appropriateness for specific contexts of use in daily life. A total of 93 studies were identified, describing 29 different IDS that are summarized and classified according to a four-level classification scheme. The predominant user input signal associated with the described IDS was electromyography (35.6%), followed by manual triggers such as buttons, touchscreens or joysticks (16.7%), as well as isometric force generated by residual movement in upper-limb segments (15.1%). We identify and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of IDS with respect to specific contexts of use and highlight a trade-off between performance and complexity in selecting an optimal IDS. Investigating evaluation practices to study the usability of IDS, the included studies revealed that, primarily, objective and quantitative usability attributes related to effectiveness or efficiency were assessed. Further, it underlined the lack of a systematic way to determine whether the usability of an IDS is sufficiently high to be appropriate for use in daily life applications. This work highlights the importance of a user- and application-specific selection and evaluation of non-invasive IDS for ULO. For technology developers in the field, it further provides recommendations on the selection process of IDS as well as to the design of corresponding evaluation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Gantenbein
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Dittli
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Thomas Meyer
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger Gassert
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Olivier Lambercy
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore
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22
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Abstract
BACKGROUND As an emerging exoskeleton robot technology, flexible lower limb exoskeleton (FLLE) integrates flexible drive and wearable mechanism, effectively solving many problems of traditional rigid lower limb exoskeleton (RLLE) such as higher quality, poorer compliance and relatively poor portability, and has become one of the important development directions in the field of active rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE This review focused on the development and innovation process in the field of FLLE in the past decade. METHOD Related literature published from 2010 to 2021 were searched in EI, IEEE Xplore, PubMed and Web of Science databases. Seventy target research articles were further screened and sorted through inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS FLLE is classified according to different driving modes, and the advantages and disadvantages of passive flexible lower limb exoskeletons and active flexible lower limb exoskeletons are comprehensively summarized. CONCLUSION At present, FLLE's research is mainly based on cable drive, bionic pneumatic muscles followed and matured, and new exoskeleton designs based on smart material innovations also trend to diversify. In the future, the development direction of FLLE will be lightweight and drive compliance, and the multi-mode sensory feedback control theory, motion intention recognition theory and human-machine interaction theory will be combined to reduce the metabolic energy consumption of walking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoling Meng
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Neural-functional Information and Rehabilitation Engineeringof the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingxin Zeng
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Neural-functional Information and Rehabilitation Engineeringof the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiaolian Xie
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Neural-functional Information and Rehabilitation Engineeringof the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Cuizhi Fei
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Neural-functional Information and Rehabilitation Engineeringof the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Bolei Kong
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Neural-functional Information and Rehabilitation Engineeringof the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuhua Lu
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haibin Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongliu Yu
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Neural-functional Information and Rehabilitation Engineeringof the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Shanghai, China
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23
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Amoruso E, Dowdall L, Kollamkulam MT, Ukaegbu O, Kieliba P, Ng T, Dempsey-Jones H, Clode D, Makin TR. Intrinsic somatosensory feedback supports motor control and learning to operate artificial body parts. J Neural Eng 2022; 19:016006. [PMID: 34983040 PMCID: PMC10431236 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac47d9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Objective.Considerable resources are being invested to enhance the control and usability of artificial limbs through the delivery of unnatural forms of somatosensory feedback. Here, we investigated whether intrinsic somatosensory information from the body part(s) remotely controlling an artificial limb can be leveraged by the motor system to support control and skill learning.Approach.We used local anaesthetic to attenuate somatosensory inputs to the big toes while participants learned to operate through pressure sensors a toe-controlled and hand-worn robotic extra finger. Motor learning outcomes were compared against a control group who received sham anaesthetic and quantified in three different task scenarios: while operating in isolation from, in synchronous coordination, and collaboration with, the biological fingers.Main results.Both groups were able to learn to operate the robotic extra finger, presumably due to abundance of visual feedback and other relevant sensory cues. Importantly, the availability of displaced somatosensory cues from the distal bodily controllers facilitated the acquisition of isolated robotic finger movements, the retention and transfer of synchronous hand-robot coordination skills, and performance under cognitive load. Motor performance was not impaired by toes anaesthesia when tasks involved close collaboration with the biological fingers, indicating that the motor system can close the sensory feedback gap by dynamically integrating task-intrinsic somatosensory signals from multiple, and even distal, body-parts.Significance.Together, our findings demonstrate that there are multiple natural avenues to provide intrinsic surrogate somatosensory information to support motor control of an artificial body part, beyond artificial stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Amoruso
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - L Dowdall
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - M T Kollamkulam
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - O Ukaegbu
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- East London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - P Kieliba
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - T Ng
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - H Dempsey-Jones
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - D Clode
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - T R Makin
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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24
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Ali A, Fontanari V, Schmoelz W, Agrawal SK. Systematic Review of Back-Support Exoskeletons and Soft Robotic Suits. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:765257. [PMID: 34805118 PMCID: PMC8603112 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.765257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Lower back pain and musculoskeletal injuries are serious concerns for workers subjected to physical workload and manual material handling tasks. Spine assistive exoskeletons are being developed to support the spine and distribute the spine load. This article presents a detailed up-to-date review on the back support exoskeletons by discussing their type (Active/Passive), structure (Rigid/Soft), power transmission methods, weight, maximum assistive force, battery technologies, tasks (lifting, bending, stooping work), kinematic compatibility and other important features. This article also assesses the back support exoskeletons in terms of their ability to reduce the physical load on the spine. By reviewing functional and structural characteristics, the goal is to increase communication and realization among ergonomics practitioners, developers, customers, and factory workers. The search resulted in reviewing 34 exoskeletons of which 16 were passive and 18 were active. In conclusion, back support exoskeletons have immense potential to significantly reduce the factors regarding work-related musculoskeletal injuries. However, various technical challenges and a lack of established safety standards limit the wide adaptation of exoskeletons in industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athar Ali
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Vigilio Fontanari
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Werner Schmoelz
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sunil K Agrawal
- Robotics and Rehabilitation (ROAR) Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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25
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Babič J, Laffranchi M, Tessari F, Verstraten T, Novak D, Šarabon N, Ugurlu B, Peternel L, Torricelli D, Veneman JF. Challenges and solutions for application and wider adoption of wearable robots. Wearable Technol 2021; 2:e14. [PMID: 38486636 PMCID: PMC10936284 DOI: 10.1017/wtc.2021.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
The science and technology of wearable robots are steadily advancing, and the use of such robots in our everyday life appears to be within reach. Nevertheless, widespread adoption of wearable robots should not be taken for granted, especially since many recent attempts to bring them to real-life applications resulted in mixed outcomes. The aim of this article is to address the current challenges that are limiting the application and wider adoption of wearable robots that are typically worn over the human body. We categorized the challenges into mechanical layout, actuation, sensing, body interface, control, human-robot interfacing and coadaptation, and benchmarking. For each category, we discuss specific challenges and the rationale for why solving them is important, followed by an overview of relevant recent works. We conclude with an opinion that summarizes possible solutions that could contribute to the wider adoption of wearable robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Babič
- Laboratory for Neuromechanics and Biorobotics, Department of Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matteo Laffranchi
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federico Tessari
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Tom Verstraten
- Robotics & Multibody Mechanics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Flanders Make, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Domen Novak
- University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Nejc Šarabon
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Izola, Slovenia
| | - Barkan Ugurlu
- Biomechatronics Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering, Ozyegin University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Luka Peternel
- Delft Haptics Lab, Department of Cognitive Robotics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Diego Torricelli
- Cajal Institute, Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, Spain
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26
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George JA, Gunnell AJ, Archangeli D, Hunt G, Ishmael M, Foreman KB, Lenzi T. Robust Torque Predictions From Electromyography Across Multiple Levels of Active Exoskeleton Assistance Despite Non-linear Reorganization of Locomotor Output. Front Neurorobot 2021; 15:700823. [PMID: 34803646 PMCID: PMC8595105 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2021.700823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Robotic exoskeletons can assist humans with walking by providing supplemental torque in proportion to the user's joint torque. Electromyographic (EMG) control algorithms can estimate a user's joint torque directly using real-time EMG recordings from the muscles that generate the torque. However, EMG signals change as a result of supplemental torque from an exoskeleton, resulting in unreliable estimates of the user's joint torque during active exoskeleton assistance. Here, we present an EMG control framework for robotic exoskeletons that provides consistent joint torque predictions across varying levels of assistance. Experiments with three healthy human participants showed that using diverse training data (from different levels of assistance) enables robust torque predictions, and that a convolutional neural network (CNN), but not a Kalman filter (KF), can capture the non-linear transformations in EMG due to exoskeleton assistance. With diverse training, the CNN could reliably predict joint torque from EMG during zero, low, medium, and high levels of exoskeleton assistance [root mean squared error (RMSE) below 0.096 N-m/kg]. In contrast, without diverse training, RMSE of the CNN ranged from 0.106 to 0.144 N-m/kg. RMSE of the KF ranged from 0.137 to 0.182 N-m/kg without diverse training, and did not improve with diverse training. When participant time is limited, training data should emphasize the highest levels of assistance first and utilize at least 35 full gait cycles for the CNN. The results presented here constitute an important step toward adaptive and robust human augmentation via robotic exoskeletons. This work also highlights the non-linear reorganization of locomotor output when using assistive exoskeletons; significant reductions in EMG activity were observed for the soleus and gastrocnemius, and a significant increase in EMG activity was observed for the erector spinae. Control algorithms that can accommodate spatiotemporal changes in muscle activity have broad implications for exoskeleton-based assistance and rehabilitation following neuromuscular injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A. George
- NeuroRobotics Lab, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- NeuroRobotics Lab, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Andrew J. Gunnell
- Bionic Engineering Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Dante Archangeli
- Bionic Engineering Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Grace Hunt
- Bionic Engineering Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Marshall Ishmael
- Bionic Engineering Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - K. Bo Foreman
- Motion Analysis Facility, Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Tommaso Lenzi
- Bionic Engineering Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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27
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Laffranchi M, D'Angella S, Vassallo C, Piezzo C, Canepa M, De Giuseppe S, Di Salvo M, Succi A, Cappa S, Cerruti G, Scarpetta S, Cavallaro L, Boccardo N, D'Angelo M, Marchese C, Saglia JA, Guanziroli E, Barresi G, Semprini M, Traverso S, Maludrottu S, Molteni F, Sacchetti R, Gruppioni E, De Michieli L. User-Centered Design and Development of the Modular TWIN Lower Limb Exoskeleton. Front Neurorobot 2021; 15:709731. [PMID: 34690732 PMCID: PMC8529015 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2021.709731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, powered exoskeletons have been considered for possible employment in rehabilitation and personal use. Yet, these devices are still far from addressing the needs of users. Here, we introduce TWIN, a novel modular lower limb exoskeleton for personal use of spinal-cord injury (SCI) subjects. This system was designed according to a set of user requirements (lightweight and autonomous portability, quick and autonomous donning and setup, stability when standing/walking, cost effectiveness, long battery life, comfort, safety) which emerged during participatory investigations that organically involved patients, engineers, designers, physiatrists, and physical therapists from two major rehabilitation centers in Italy. As a result of this user-centered process, TWIN's design is based on a variety of small mechatronic modules which are meant to be easily assembled and donned on or off by the user in full autonomy. This paper presents the development of TWIN, an exoskeleton for personal use of SCI users, and the application of user-centered design methods that are typically adopted in medical device industry, for its development. We can state that this approach revealed to be extremely effective and insightful to direct and continuously adapt design goals and activities toward the addressment of user needs, which led to the development of an exoskeleton with modular mechatronics and novel lateral quick release systems. Additionally, this work includes the preliminary assessment of this exoskeleton, which involved healthy volunteers and a complete SCI patient. Tests validated the mechatronics of TWIN and emphasized its high potential in terms of system usability for its intended use. These tests followed procedures defined in existing standards in usability engineering and were part of the formative evaluation of TWIN as a premise to the summative evaluation of its usability as medical device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Laffranchi
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Stefano D'Angella
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Piezzo
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Michele Canepa
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Mirco Di Salvo
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Antonio Succi
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Samuele Cappa
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Giulio Cerruti
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Silvia Scarpetta
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Cavallaro
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Nicolò Boccardo
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Claudia Marchese
- Centro Protesi INAIL, Istituto Italiano per l'Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro, Vigorso di Budrio, Italy
| | - Jody A Saglia
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Giacinto Barresi
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Marianna Semprini
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Simone Traverso
- Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Franco Molteni
- Villa Beretta Rehabilitation Centre, Valduce Hospital, Costa Masnaga, Italy
| | - Rinaldo Sacchetti
- Centro Protesi INAIL, Istituto Italiano per l'Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro, Vigorso di Budrio, Italy
| | - Emanuele Gruppioni
- Centro Protesi INAIL, Istituto Italiano per l'Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro, Vigorso di Budrio, Italy
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28
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Marinou G, Millard M, Šarabon N, Mombaur K. Comparing the risk of low-back injury using model-based optimization: Improved technique versus exoskeleton assistance. Wearable Technol 2021; 2:e13. [PMID: 38486634 PMCID: PMC10936265 DOI: 10.1017/wtc.2021.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Although wearable robotic systems are designed to reduce the risk of low-back injury, it is unclear how effective assistance is, compared to improvements in lifting technique. We use a two-factor block study design to simulate how effective exoskeleton assistance and technical improvements are at reducing the risk of low-back injury when compared to a typical adult lifting a box. The effects of assistance are examined by simulating two different models: a model of just the human participant, and a model of the human participant wearing the SPEXOR exoskeleton. The effects of lifting technique are investigated by formulating two different types of optimal control problems: a least-squares problem which tracks the human participant's lifting technique, and a minimization problem where the model is free to use a different movement. Different lifting techniques are considered using three different cost functions related to risk factors for low-back injury: cumulative low-back load (CLBL), peak low-back load (PLBL), and a combination of both CLBL and PLBL (HYB). The results of our simulations indicate that an exoskeleton alone can make modest reductions in both CLBL and PLBL. In contrast, technical improvements alone are effective at reducing CLBL, but not PLBL. The largest reductions in both CLBL and PLBL occur when both an exoskeleton and technical improvements are used. While all three of the lifting technique cost functions reduce both CLBL and PLBL, the HYB cost function offers the most balanced reduction in both CLBL and PLBL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgos Marinou
- Optimization, Robotics and Biomechanics (ORB), Institute of Computer Engineering (ZITI), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthew Millard
- Optimization, Robotics and Biomechanics (ORB), Institute of Computer Engineering (ZITI), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nejc Šarabon
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Izola, Slovenia
| | - Katja Mombaur
- Canada Excellence Research Chair in Human-Centred Robotics and Machine Intelligence, Systems Design Engineering & Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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29
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Nolan KJ, Karunakaran KK, Roberts P, Tefertiller C, Walter AM, Zhang J, Leslie D, Jayaraman A, Francisco GE. Utilization of Robotic Exoskeleton for Overground Walking in Acute and Chronic Stroke. Front Neurorobot 2021; 15:689363. [PMID: 34539371 PMCID: PMC8442911 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2021.689363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stroke commonly results in gait deficits which impacts functional ambulation and quality of life. Robotic exoskeletons (RE) for overground walking are devices that are programmable to provide high dose and movement-impairment specific assistance thus offering new rehabilitation possibilities for recovery progression in individuals post stroke. The purpose of this investigation is to present preliminary utilization data in individuals with acute and chronic stroke after walking overground with an RE. Secondary analysis on a subset of individuals is presented to understand the mechanistic changes due to RE overground walking. Thirty-eight participants with hemiplegia secondary to stroke were enrolled in a clinical trial conducted at eight rehabilitation centers. Data is presented for four sessions of overground walking in the RE over the course of 2 weeks. Participants continued their standard of care if they had any ongoing therapy at the time of study enrollment. Gait speed during the 10 Meter Walk Test, Gait deviations and the Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) data were collected before (baseline) and after (follow-up) the RE walking sessions. Walking speed significantly increased between baseline and follow-up for participants in the chronic (p <0.01) and acute (p < 0.05) stage of stroke recovery. FAC level significantly improved (p < 0.05) and there were significantly fewer (p < 0.05) gait deviations observed for participants in the acute stages of stroke recovery between baseline and follow-up. Secondary analysis on a subset of eight participants indicated that after four sessions of overground walking with the RE, the participants significantly improved their spatial symmetry. The walk time, step count and ratio of walk time to up time increased from first session to the last session for participants in the chronic and acute stages of stroke. The RE was effectively utilized for overground walking for individuals with acute and chronic stroke with varying severity levels. The results demonstrated an increase in walking speed, improvement in FAC and a decrease in gait deviations (from baseline to follow-up) after four sessions of overground walking in the RE for participants. In addition, preliminary data indicated that spatial symmetry and step length also improved after utilization of an RE for overground walking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen J Nolan
- Kessler Foundation, Center for Mobility and Engineering Research, West Orange, NJ, United States.,Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Kiran K Karunakaran
- Kessler Foundation, Center for Mobility and Engineering Research, West Orange, NJ, United States.,Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Pamela Roberts
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Candy Tefertiller
- Craig Hospital, Department of Physical Therapy, Englewood, CO, United States
| | - Amber M Walter
- Sheltering Arms Physical Rehabilitation Centers, Mechanicsville, VA, United States
| | - Jun Zhang
- St. Charles Hospital, Port Jefferson, NY, United States
| | | | - Arun Jayaraman
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Max Nader Center for Rehabilitation Technologies and Outcomes Research, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Gerard E Francisco
- University of Texas at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States.,TIRR Memorial Hermann, Houston, TX, United States
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30
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Salvietti G, Franco L, Tschiersky M, Wolterink G, Bianchi M, Bicchi A, Barontini F, Catalano M, Grioli G, Poggiani M, Rossi S, Prattichizzo D. Integration of a Passive Exoskeleton and a Robotic Supernumerary Finger for Grasping Compensation in Chronic Stroke Patients: The SoftPro Wearable System. Front Robot AI 2021; 8:661354. [PMID: 34179107 PMCID: PMC8222583 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2021.661354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Upper-limb impairments are all-pervasive in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). As a consequence, people affected by a loss of arm function must endure severe limitations. To compensate for the lack of a functional arm and hand, we developed a wearable system that combines different assistive technologies including sensing, haptics, orthotics and robotics. The result is a device that helps lifting the forearm by means of a passive exoskeleton and improves the grasping ability of the impaired hand by employing a wearable robotic supernumerary finger. A pilot study involving 3 patients, which was conducted to test the capability of the device to assist in performing ADLs, confirmed its usefulness and serves as a first step in the investigation of novel paradigms for robotic assistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gionata Salvietti
- Siena Robotics and Systems Laboratory Group, Department of Information Engineering and Mathematical Science, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Leonardo Franco
- Siena Robotics and Systems Laboratory Group, Department of Information Engineering and Mathematical Science, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Martin Tschiersky
- Chair of Precision Engineering, Department of Engineering Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Gerjan Wolterink
- Biomedical Signals and Systems (BSS) and Robotics and Mechatronics (RAM) Group, Department of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Matteo Bianchi
- Research Centre "E. Piaggio" and Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Bicchi
- Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation and Rehabilitation, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Federica Barontini
- Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation and Rehabilitation, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Manuel Catalano
- Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation and Rehabilitation, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Giorgio Grioli
- Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation and Rehabilitation, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Mattia Poggiani
- Soft Robotics for Human Cooperation and Rehabilitation, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Simone Rossi
- Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Lab, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Domenico Prattichizzo
- Siena Robotics and Systems Laboratory Group, Department of Information Engineering and Mathematical Science, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Langlois K, Roels E, Van De Velde G, Espadinha C, Van Vlerken C, Verstraten T, Vanderborght B, Lefeber D. Integration of 3D Printed Flexible Pressure Sensors into Physical Interfaces for Wearable Robots. Sensors (Basel) 2021; 21:2157. [PMID: 33808626 DOI: 10.3390/s21062157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Sensing pressure at the physical interface between the robot and the human has important implications for wearable robots. On the one hand, monitoring pressure distribution can give valuable benefits on the aspects of comfortability and safety of such devices. Additionally, on the other hand, they can be used as a rich sensory input to high level interaction controllers. However, a problem is that the commercial availability of this technology is mostly limited to either low-cost solutions with poor performance or expensive options, limiting the possibilities for iterative designs. As an alternative, in this manuscript we present a three-dimensional (3D) printed flexible capacitive pressure sensor that allows seamless integration for wearable robotic applications. The sensors are manufactured using additive manufacturing techniques, which provides benefits in terms of versatility of design and implementation. In this study, a characterization of the 3D printed sensors in a test-bench is presented after which the sensors are integrated in an upper arm interface. A human-in-the-loop calibration of the sensors is then shown, allowing to estimate the external force and pressure distribution that is acting on the upper arm of seven human subjects while performing a dynamic task. The validation of the method is achieved by means of a collaborative robot for precise force interaction measurements. The results indicate that the proposed sensors are a potential solution for further implementation in human–robot interfaces.
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Chiaradia D, Tiseni L, Xiloyannis M, Solazzi M, Masia L, Frisoli A. An Assistive Soft Wrist Exosuit for Flexion Movements With an Ergonomic Reinforced Glove. Front Robot AI 2021; 7:595862. [PMID: 33537345 PMCID: PMC7848217 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2020.595862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Soft exosuits are a promising solution for the assistance and augmentation of human motor abilities in the industrial field, where the use of more symbiotic wearable robots can avoid excessive worker fatigue and improve the quality of the work. One of the challenges in the design of soft exosuits is the choice of the right amount of softness to balance load transfer, ergonomics, and weight. This article presents a cable-driven based soft wrist exosuit for flexion assistance with the use of an ergonomic reinforced glove. The flexible and highly compliant three-dimensional (3D)-printed plastic structure that is sewn on the glove allows an optimal force transfer from the remotely located motor to the wrist articulation and to preserve a high level of comfort for the user during assistance. The device is shown to reduce fatigue and the muscular effort required for holding and lifting loads in healthy subjects for weights up to 3 kg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Chiaradia
- Percro Laboratory, Tecip Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy
| | - Luca Tiseni
- Percro Laboratory, Tecip Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy
| | - Michele Xiloyannis
- Sensory-Motor Systems (SMS) Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS), ETH Zurich, Switzerland and the Spinal Cord Injury Center, University Hospital Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Massimiliano Solazzi
- Percro Laboratory, Tecip Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Masia
- Institut für Technische Informatik (ZITI), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Antonio Frisoli
- Percro Laboratory, Tecip Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy
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Mak SKD, Accoto D. Review of Current Spinal Robotic Orthoses. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:70. [PMID: 33451142 PMCID: PMC7828606 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9010070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteoporotic spine fractures (OSF) are common sequelae of osteoporosis. OSF are directly correlated with increasing age and incidence of osteoporosis. OSF are treated conservatively or surgically. Associated acute pain, chronic disabilities, and progressive deformities are well documented. Conservative measures include a combination of initial bed rest, analgesia, early physiotherapy, and a spinal brace (orthosis), with the aim for early rehabilitation to prevent complications of immobile state. Spinal bracing is commonly used for symptomatic management of OSF. While traditional spinal braces aim to maintain the neutral spinal alignment and reduce the axial loading on the fractured vertebrae, they are well known for complications including discomfort with reduced compliance, atrophy of paraspinal muscles, and restriction of chest expansion leading to chest infections. Exoskeletons have been developed to passively assist and actively augment human movements with different types of actuators. Flexible, versatile spinal exoskeletons are designed to better support the spine. As new technologies enable the development of motorized wearable exoskeletons, several types have been introduced into the medical field application. We have provided a thorough review of the current spinal robotic technologies in this paper. The shortcomings in the current spinal exoskeletons were identified. Their limitations on the use for patients with OSF with potential improvement strategies were discussed. With our current knowledge of spinal orthosis for conservatively managed OSF, a semi-rigid backpack style thoracolumbar spinal robotic orthosis will reduce spinal bone stress and improve back muscle support. This will lead to back pain reduction, improved posture, and overall mobility. Early mobilization is an important part of management of patients with OSF as it reduces the chance of developing complications related to their immobile state for patients with OSF, which will be helpful for their recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siu Kei David Mak
- Department of Neurosurgery, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore 308433, Singapore
| | - Dino Accoto
- School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang, Singapore 639798, Singapore;
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Ali A, Fontanari V, Fontana M, Schmölz W. Spinal Deformities and Advancement in Corrective Orthoses. Bioengineering (Basel) 2020; 8:2. [PMID: 33375594 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering8010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal deformity is an abnormality in the spinal curves and can seriously affect the activities of daily life. The conventional way to treat spinal deformities, such as scoliosis, kyphosis, and spondylolisthesis, is to use spinal orthoses (braces). Braces have been used for centuries to apply corrective forces to the spine to treat spinal deformities or to stabilize the spine during postoperative rehabilitation. Braces have not modernized with advancements in technology, and very few braces are equipped with smart sensory design and active actuation. There is a need to enable the orthotists, ergonomics practitioners, and developers to incorporate new technologies into the passive field of bracing. This article presents a review of the conventional passive braces and highlights the advancements in spinal orthoses in terms of improved sensory designs, active actuation mechanisms, and new construction methods (CAD/CAM, three-dimensional (3D) printing). This review includes 26 spinal orthoses, comprised of passive rigid/soft braces, active dynamics braces, and torso training devices for the rehabilitation of the spine.
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Nolan KJ, Karunakaran KK, Chervin K, Monfett MR, Bapineedu RK, Jasey NN, Oh-Park M. Robotic Exoskeleton Gait Training During Acute Stroke Inpatient Rehabilitation. Front Neurorobot 2020; 14:581815. [PMID: 33192438 PMCID: PMC7661791 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2020.581815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Stroke is the leading cause of severe disability in adults resulting in mobility, balance, and coordination deficits. Robotic exoskeletons (REs) for stroke rehabilitation can provide the user with consistent, high dose repetition of movement, as well as balance and stability. The goal of this intervention study is to evaluate the ability of a RE to provide high dose gait therapy and the resulting effect on functional recovery for individuals with acute stroke. The investigation included a total of 44 participants. Twenty-two participants received RE gait training during inpatient rehabilitation (RE+SOC Group), and a matched sample of 22 individuals admitted to the same inpatient rehabilitation facility-receiving conventional standard of care treatment (SOC group). The effect of RE training was quantified using total distance walked during inpatient rehabilitation and functional independence measure (FIM). The total distance walked during inpatient rehabilitation showed a significant difference between the SOC and RE+SOC groups. RE+SOC walked twice the distance as SOC during the same duration (time spent in inpatient rehabilitation) of training. In addition, the average change in motor FIM showed a significant difference between the SOC and RE+SOC groups, where the average difference in motor FIM was higher in RE+SOC compared to the SOC group. The results suggest that RE provided increased dosing of gait training without increasing the duration of training during acute stroke rehabilitation. The RE+SOC group increased their motor FIM score (change from admission to discharge) compared to SOC group, both groups were matched for admission motor FIM scores suggesting that increased dosing may have improved motor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen J Nolan
- Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), Newark, NJ, United States.,Children Specialized Hospital, Mountainside, NJ, United States
| | - Kiran K Karunakaran
- Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), Newark, NJ, United States.,Children Specialized Hospital, Mountainside, NJ, United States
| | - Kathleen Chervin
- Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, United States
| | - Michael R Monfett
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), Newark, NJ, United States.,Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ, United States.,Skyline Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, New York, NY, United States
| | - Radhika K Bapineedu
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), Newark, NJ, United States.,Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ, United States
| | - Neil N Jasey
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), Newark, NJ, United States.,Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ, United States
| | - Mooyeon Oh-Park
- Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, United States.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), Newark, NJ, United States.,Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ, United States.,Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, Montefiore Health System, White Plains, NY, United States
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36
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Park EJ, Akbas T, Eckert-Erdheim A, Sloot LH, Nuckols RW, Orzel D, Schumm L, Ellis TD, Awad LN, Walsh CJ. A hinge-free, non-restrictive, lightweight tethered exosuit for knee extension assistance during walking. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 2:165-175. [PMID: 33748694 DOI: 10.1109/tmrb.2020.2989321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
In individuals with motor impairments such as those post-stroke or with cerebral palsy, the function of the knee extensors may be affected during walking, resulting in decreased mobility. We have designed a lightweight, hinge-free wearable robot combining soft textile exosuit components with integrated rigid components, which assists knee extension when needed but is otherwise highly transparent to the wearer. The exosuit can apply a wide range of assistance profiles using a flexible multi-point reference trajectory generator. Additionally, we implemented a controller safety limit to address the risk of hyperextension stemming from the hinge-free design. The exosuit was evaluated on six healthy participants walking uphill and downhill on a treadmill at a 10° slope with a set of joint power-inspired assistance profiles. A comparison of sagittal plane joint angles between no exosuit and exosuit unpowered conditions validated the device transparency. With positive power assistance, we observed reduction in average positive knee biological power during uphill walking (left: 17.5 ± 3.21%, p = 0.005; right: 23.2 ± 3.54%, p = 0.008). These initial findings show promise for the assistive capability of the device and its potential to improve the quality of gait and increase mobility in clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn J Park
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Tunc Akbas
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Asa Eckert-Erdheim
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Lizeth H Sloot
- Institute for Computer Engineering (ZITI) at Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Richard W Nuckols
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Dorothy Orzel
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Lexine Schumm
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
| | - Terry D Ellis
- Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training, Sargent College, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Louis N Awad
- Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training, Sargent College, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Conor J Walsh
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
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Iyer SS, Joseph JV, Vashista V. Evolving Toward Subject-Specific Gait Rehabilitation Through Single-Joint Resistive Force Interventions. Front Neurorobot 2020; 14:15. [PMID: 32226372 PMCID: PMC7080984 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2020.00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Walking is one of the most relevant tasks that a person performs in their daily routine. Despite its mechanical complexities, any change in the external conditions that applies some external perturbation, or in the human musculoskeletal system that limits an individual's movement, entails a motor response that can either be compensatory or adaptive in nature. Incidentally, with aging or due to the occurrence of a neuro-musculoskeletal disorder, a combination of such changes including reduced sensory perception, muscle weakness, spasticity, etc. has been reported, and this can significantly degrade the human walking performance. Various studies in gait rehabilitation literature have identified a need for the development of better rehabilitation paradigms and have implied that an efficient human robot interaction is critical. Understanding how humans respond to a particular gait alteration can be beneficial in designing an effective rehabilitation paradigm. In this context, the current work investigates human locomotor adaptation to resistive alteration to the hip and ankle strategies of walking. A cable-driven robotic system, which does not add mobility constraints, was used to implement resistive force interventions within the hip and ankle joints separately through two experiments with eight healthy adult participants in each. In both cases, the intervention was applied during the push-off phase of walking, i.e., from pre-swing to terminal swing. The results showed that subjects in both groups adopted a compensatory response to the applied intervention and demonstrated intralimb and interlimb adaptation. Overall, the participants demonstrated a deviant gait implying lower limb musculoskeletal adjustments as if to compensate for a hip or ankle abnormality.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Srikesh Iyer
- Human Centered Robotics Lab, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Joel V Joseph
- Human Centered Robotics Lab, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Vineet Vashista
- Human Centered Robotics Lab, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
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Abstract
This paper provides an overview of a new consensus standards committee for exoskeletons, ASTM International F48, and describes the organization and current activities of this committee. Lack of product standards and certifications have been described as barriers to adoption of exoskeleton technologies in industry practice. While exoskeletons are not considered a traditional form of personal protective equipment (PPE) they are similarly wearable, and much of the interest in their application in the industrial/workplace domain is motivated by injury prevention. ASTM F48 believes that standards and certifications for exoskeletons in their manufacture, deployment, and use would enhance their adoption in the workplace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Lowe
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
| | | | - Donald R Peterson
- College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Northern Illinois University
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Villoslada Á, Rivera C, Escudero N, Martín F, Blanco D, Moreno L. Hand Exo-Muscular System for Assisting Astronauts During Extravehicular Activities. Soft Robot 2018; 6:21-37. [PMID: 30457930 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2018.0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human exploration of the Solar System is one of the most challenging objectives included in the space programs of the most important space agencies in the world. Since the Apollo program, and especially with the construction and operation of the International Space Station, extravehicular activities (EVA) have become an important part of space exploration. This article presents a soft hand exoskeleton designed to address one of the problems that astronauts face during spacewalks: hand fatigue caused by the pressurized EVA gloves. This device will reduce the stiffness of the spacesuit glove by counteracting the force exerted by the pressurized glove. To this end, the system makes use of a set of six flexible actuators, which use a shape memory alloy (SMA) wire as the actuating element. SMAs have been chosen because some of their features, such as low volume and high force-to-weight ratio, make them a suitable choice taking into account the constraints imposed by the use of the device in a spacesuit. Besides describing the different mechanical and electronic subsystems that compose the exoskeleton, this article presents a preliminary assessment of the device; several tests to characterize its nominal operation have been carried out, as well as position and force control tests to study its controllability and evaluate its suitability as a force assistive device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Villoslada
- 1 Department of Systems Engineering and Automation, Carlos III University, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Fernando Martín
- 1 Department of Systems Engineering and Automation, Carlos III University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dolores Blanco
- 1 Department of Systems Engineering and Automation, Carlos III University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Moreno
- 1 Department of Systems Engineering and Automation, Carlos III University, Madrid, Spain
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Lerner ZF, Gasparri GM, Bair MO, Lawson JL, Luque J, Harvey TA, Lerner AT. An Untethered Ankle Exoskeleton Improves Walking Economy in a Pilot Study of Individuals With Cerebral Palsy. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2018; 26:1985-1993. [PMID: 30235140 PMCID: PMC6217810 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2018.2870756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The high energy cost of walking in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) contributes significantly to reduced mobility and quality of life. The purpose of this paper was to develop and clinically evaluate an untethered ankle exoskeleton with the ability to reduce the metabolic cost of walking in children and young adults with gait pathology from CP. We designed a battery-powered device consisting of an actuator-and-control module worn above the waist with a Bowden cable transmission used to provide torque to pulleys aligned with the ankle. Special consideration was made to minimize adding mass to the body, particularly distal portions of the lower-extremity. The exoskeleton provided plantar-flexor assistance during the mid-to-late stance phase, controlled using a real-time control algorithm and embedded sensors. We conducted a device feasibility and a pilot clinical evaluation study with five individuals with CP ages five through thirty years old. Participants completed an average of 130 min of exoskeleton-assisted walking practice. We observed a 19±5% improvement in the metabolic cost of transport (p = 0.011) during walking with untethered exoskeleton assistance compared to how participants walked normally. These preliminary findings support the future investigation of powered ankle assistance for improving mobility in this patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gian Maria Gasparri
- Z.F. Lerner, PhD is with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA, and with the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA. ()
- G.M. Gasparri, PhD, M.O. Bair, J.L. Lawson, J. Luque, and T.A. Harvey are with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
- A.T. Lerner, PT, DPT, is with the Physical Therapy Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Michael O. Bair
- Z.F. Lerner, PhD is with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA, and with the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA. ()
- G.M. Gasparri, PhD, M.O. Bair, J.L. Lawson, J. Luque, and T.A. Harvey are with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
- A.T. Lerner, PT, DPT, is with the Physical Therapy Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Jenny L. Lawson
- Z.F. Lerner, PhD is with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA, and with the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA. ()
- G.M. Gasparri, PhD, M.O. Bair, J.L. Lawson, J. Luque, and T.A. Harvey are with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
- A.T. Lerner, PT, DPT, is with the Physical Therapy Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Jason Luque
- Z.F. Lerner, PhD is with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA, and with the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA. ()
- G.M. Gasparri, PhD, M.O. Bair, J.L. Lawson, J. Luque, and T.A. Harvey are with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
- A.T. Lerner, PT, DPT, is with the Physical Therapy Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Taryn A. Harvey
- Z.F. Lerner, PhD is with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA, and with the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA. ()
- G.M. Gasparri, PhD, M.O. Bair, J.L. Lawson, J. Luque, and T.A. Harvey are with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
- A.T. Lerner, PT, DPT, is with the Physical Therapy Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Andrea T. Lerner
- Z.F. Lerner, PhD is with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA, and with the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA. ()
- G.M. Gasparri, PhD, M.O. Bair, J.L. Lawson, J. Luque, and T.A. Harvey are with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
- A.T. Lerner, PT, DPT, is with the Physical Therapy Department at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
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Cognolato M, Atzori M, Müller H. Head-mounted eye gaze tracking devices: An overview of modern devices and recent advances. J Rehabil Assist Technol Eng 2018; 5:2055668318773991. [PMID: 31191938 PMCID: PMC6453044 DOI: 10.1177/2055668318773991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of wearable devices performing eye gaze tracking have been released in recent years. Such devices can lead to unprecedented opportunities in many applications. However, staying updated regarding the continuous advances and gathering the technical features that allow to choose the best device for a specific application is not trivial. The last eye gaze tracker overview was written more than 10 years ago, while more recent devices are substantially improved both in hardware and software. Thus, an overview of current eye gaze trackers is needed. This review fills the gap by providing an overview of the current level of advancement for both techniques and devices, leading finally to the analysis of 20 essential features in six head-mounted eye gaze trackers commercially available. The analyzed characteristics represent a useful selection providing an overview of the technology currently implemented. The results show that many technical advances were made in this field since the last survey. Current wearable devices allow to capture and exploit visual information unobtrusively and in real time, leading to new applications in wearable technologies that can also be used to improve rehabilitation and enable a more active living for impaired persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Cognolato
- Institute of Information Systems, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO), Sierre, Switzerland.,Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Zurich (ETHZ), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Manfredo Atzori
- Institute of Information Systems, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO), Sierre, Switzerland
| | - Henning Müller
- Institute of Information Systems, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO), Sierre, Switzerland
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42
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Sridar S, Qiao Z, Muthukrishnan N, Zhang W, Polygerinos P. A Soft-Inflatable Exosuit for Knee Rehabilitation: Assisting Swing Phase During Walking. Front Robot AI 2018; 5:44. [PMID: 33500930 PMCID: PMC7805964 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2018.00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we present a soft-inflatable exosuit to assist knee extension during gait training for stroke rehabilitation. The soft exosuit is designed to provide 25% of the knee moment required during the swing phase of the gait cycle and is integrated with inertial measurement units (IMUs) and smart shoe insole sensors to improve gait phase detection and controller design. The stiffness of the knee joint during level walking is computed using inverse dynamics. The soft-inflatable actuators, with an I cross-section, are mechanically characterized at varying angles to enable generation of the required stiffness outputs. A linear relation between the inflatable actuator stiffness and internal pressure as a function of the knee angle is obtained, and a two-layer stiffness controller is implemented to assist the knee joint by providing appropriate stiffness during the swing phase. Finally, to evaluate the ability of the exosuit to assist in swing motion, surface-electromyography (sEMG) sensors are placed on the three muscle groups of the quadriceps and two groups of the hamstrings, on three healthy participants. A reduction in muscle activity of the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis is observed, which demonstrates feasibility of operation and potential future usage of the soft inflatable exosuit by impaired users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saivimal Sridar
- The Polytechnic School, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ, United States
| | - Zhi Qiao
- School for Engineering of Matter Transport and Energy, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Niveditha Muthukrishnan
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Wenlong Zhang
- The Polytechnic School, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ, United States
| | - Panagiotis Polygerinos
- The Polytechnic School, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ, United States
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Hussain I, Spagnoletti G, Salvietti G, Prattichizzo D. An EMG Interface for the Control of Motion and Compliance of a Supernumerary Robotic Finger. Front Neurorobot 2016; 10:18. [PMID: 27891088 PMCID: PMC5104737 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2016.00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a novel electromyographic (EMG) control interface to control motion and joints compliance of a supernumerary robotic finger. The supernumerary robotic fingers are a recently introduced class of wearable robotics that provides users additional robotic limbs in order to compensate or augment the existing abilities of natural limbs without substituting them. Since supernumerary robotic fingers are supposed to closely interact and perform actions in synergy with the human limbs, the control principles of extra finger should have similar behavior as human’s ones including the ability of regulating the compliance. So that, it is important to propose a control interface and to consider the actuators and sensing capabilities of the robotic extra finger compatible to implement stiffness regulation control techniques. We propose EMG interface and a control approach to regulate the compliance of the device through servo actuators. In particular, we use a commercial EMG armband for gesture recognition to be associated with the motion control of the robotic device and surface one channel EMG electrodes interface to regulate the compliance of the robotic device. We also present an updated version of a robotic extra finger where the adduction/abduction motion is realized through ball bearing and spur gears mechanism. We have validated the proposed interface with two sets of experiments related to compensation and augmentation. In the first set of experiments, different bimanual tasks have been performed with the help of the robotic device and simulating a paretic hand since this novel wearable system can be used to compensate the missing grasping abilities in chronic stroke patients. In the second set, the robotic extra finger is used to enlarge the workspace and manipulation capability of healthy hands. In both sets, the same EMG control interface has been used. The obtained results demonstrate that the proposed control interface is intuitive and can successfully be used, not only to control the motion of a supernumerary robotic finger but also to regulate its compliance. The proposed approach can be exploited also for the control of different wearable devices that has to actively cooperate with the human limbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfan Hussain
- Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, Università degli Studi Siena , Siena , Italy
| | - Giovanni Spagnoletti
- Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, Università degli Studi Siena , Siena , Italy
| | - Gionata Salvietti
- Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, Università degli Studi Siena, Siena, Italy; Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Domenico Prattichizzo
- Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, Università degli Studi Siena, Siena, Italy; Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
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