Astronauts soaring through space modules with the grace of birds seems counterintuitive. How do they adapt to weightless environment? Previous spaceflights have shown that astronauts in orbit their motor strategies each change gravitational environment. During adaptation, performance is degraded and can lead mission-threatening injuries. If adaptation occur before a mission, productivity during mission might improve, minimizing risk. The goal combine kinetic kinematic data examine...

We describe the design and control of a wearable robotic device powered by pneumatic artificial muscle actuators for use in ankle–foot rehabilitation. The is inspired biological musculoskeletal system human foot lower leg, mimicking morphology functionality muscle–tendon–ligament structure. A key feature its soft structure that provides active assistance without restricting natural degrees freedom at ankle joint. Four muscles assist dorsiflexion plantarflexion as well inversion eversion....

Wearable robots based on soft materials will augment mobility and performance of the host without restricting natural kinematics. Such wearable need sensors to monitor movement wearer robot outside lab. Until now have not demonstrated significant mechanical robustness nor been systematically characterized for human motion studies walking running. Here, we present design systematic characterization a sensing suit monitoring hip, knee, ankle sagittal plane joint angles. We used hyper-elastic...

In this paper we present a soft lower-extremity robotic exosuit intended to augment normal muscle function in healthy individuals. Compared previous exoskeletons, the device is ultra-lightweight, resulting low mechanical impedance and inertia. The has custom McKibben style pneumatic actuators that can assist hip, knee ankle. attach through network of soft, inextensible webbing triangulated attachment points utilizing novel approach call virtual anchor technique. This designed transfer forces...

Motion sensing has played an important role in the study of human biomechanics as well entertainment industry. Although existing technologies, such optical or inertial based motion capture systems, have relatively high accuracy detecting body motions, they still inherent limitations with regards to mobility and wearability. In this paper, we present a soft suit for measuring lower extremity joint motion. The prototype includes pair elastic tights three hyperelastic strain sensors. sensors...

We describe the design of an active soft ankle-foot orthotic device powered by pneumatic artificial muscles for treating gait pathologies associated with neuromuscular disorders. The is inspired biological musculoskeletal system a human foot and lower leg, mimics muscle-tendon-ligament structure. A key feature that it fabricated flexible materials provide assistance without restricting degrees freedom at ankle joint. Three assist dorsiflexion as well inversion eversion. prototype also...

More than 130,000 people have strokes each year in the United States [1]. Of these victims, 76% are left with disabilities that cost nation over $54 billion lost work and medical fees. One prominent disability is upper extremity hemiplegia, which occurs among approximately 50% of stroke sufferers [2]. Robotic technology has potential to provide an automated platform for controled rehabilitation assisted, task-oriented therapy.Several systems been designed assist patient articulation impaired...

In this paper, we present the design of a thumb exoskeleton for pediatric at-home rehabilitation. Pediatric disorders, such as cerebral palsy (CP) and stroke, can result in palm deformity greatly limiting hand function. This not only limits children's ability to perform activities daily living but also important motor skill development. Specifically, device, dubbed IOTA (Isolated Orthosis Thumb Actuation) is 2-DOF that actuate carpometacarpal (CMC) metacarpalphalangeal (MCP) joints through...

Mobile, interactive robots that operate in human-centric environments need the capability to safely and efficiently navigate around humans. This requires ability sense predict human motion trajectories plan them. In this paper, we present a study supports existence of statistically significant biomechanical turn indicators walking motions. Further, demonstrate effectiveness these as features prediction trajectories. Human capture data is collected with predefined goals train test algorithm....

Purpose – Pediatric disorders, such as cerebral palsy and stroke, can result in thumb-in-palm deformity greatly limiting hand function. This not only limits children's ability to perform activities of daily living but also important motor skill development. Specifically, the isolated orthosis for thumb actuation (IOTA) is 2 degrees freedom (DOF) exoskeleton that actuate carpometacarpal (CMC) metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints through ranges motion required living. The paper aims discuss these...

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) have been demonstrated to reliably measure human joint angles—an essential quantity in the study of biomechanics. However, most previous literature proposed IMU-based angle systems that required manual alignment or prescribed calibration motions. This paper presents a simple, physically-intuitive method for knee flexion/extension gait without requiring discrete calibration, based on computationally-efficient and easy-to-implement Principle Component Analysis...

Traditionally, inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based human joint angle estimation techniques are evaluated for general motion where joints explore all of their degrees freedom. Pure walking, in contrast, limits the and may lead to unobservability conditions that confound magnetometer-free IMU-based methods. This work explores emergent during walking expands upon a previous method knee also estimate hip angles relative an assumed vertical datum. The proposed is (N=12) subject study compared...

Robotic ankle exoskeletons have the potential to extend human ability, and actuation timing serves as one of critical parameters in its controller design. While many experiments investigated optimal values achieve different objective functions ( <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">e.g.</i> minimizing metabolic cost), studies on users’ perception control are gaining interest it gives information people’s comfort, coordination,...

Objective The aim of this study is to determine the effects a powered exoskeleton on measures physical and cognitive performance. Background US warfighters carry heavy equipment into battle, exoskeletons may reduce that burden. While are currently evaluated for their performance, not considered. Method Twelve military members participated in simulated patrol task under three conditions: wearing (PWR), an unpowered (UNP), without (OFF). following confederate over obstacles at constant pace,...

Traditionally, inertial measurement units- (IMU) based human joint angle estimation requires a priori knowledge about sensor alignment or specific calibration motions. Furthermore, magnetometer measurements can become unreliable indoors. Without magnetometers, however, IMUs lack heading reference, which leads to unobservability issues. This paper proposes magnetometer-free method, provides desirable observability qualities under kinematics that sufficiently excite the lower body degrees of...

While proximity operation trajectory planners optimize for fuel cost, robotic sampling-based handle complex obstacle fields more robustly. This paper investigates the importance of orbital dynamics in paths generated by rapidly exploring random tree zero-gravity (RRTZ), a planner. We leverage Newtonian mechanics to estimate cost using Clohessy–Wiltshire equations varying inspector velocities and target ranges. Path velocity displacement from space station radial direction perpendicular plane...

The domain of human factors considers how to improve system design by considering the within process, rather than designing a and then effects on after is completed. There have been decades work in human-system integration applications for complex systems understand concepts physical (e.g., sizing injury risk) cognitive workload, situation awareness, automation mode confusion). Exosystem technologies are reaching point where transition an operational environment reach. This paper presents...

Exoskeletons have the potential to assist individuals in completing daily tasks and augment industrial workers labor-intensive jobs. While previous studies shown capability of powered upper limb exoskeletons reduce muscle effort maintain task performance continuous cyclical movements, their effectiveness natural movements that contain both dynamic static remains uncertain. This study aimed investigate impact visual haptic electromyography (EMG) biofeedback on participants <inline-formula...

Abstract Wearable assistive robotic devices are characterized by an interface, a meeting place of living tissue and mechanical forces, at which potential kinetic energy converted to one or the other form. Ecological scientists may make important contributions design device interfaces because functional perspective on information exchange. For ecological scientists, (a) behavioral forms assembly whole systems from available parts, emerging in flows, (b) nature explores for informationally...

Upper-extremity exoskeletons have demonstrated potential as augmentative, assistive, and rehabilitative devices. Typical control of upper-extremity relied on switches, force/torque sensors, surface electromyography (sEMG), but these systems are usually reactionary, and/or rely entirely hand-tuned parameters. sEMG-based may be able to provide anticipatory control, since they interface directly with muscle signals, typically require expert placement sensors bodies. We present an implementation...