A5004870826- Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery
- Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Robotics
- Muscle activation and electromyography studies
- Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna
2015-2025
Center for Micro-BioRobotics
2020-2021
To assist people with disabilities, exoskeletons must be provided human-robot interfaces and smart algorithms capable to identify the user's movement intentions. Surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals could suitable for this purpose, but their applicability in shared control schemes real-time operation of assistive devices daily-life activities is limited due high inter-subject variability, which requires custom calibrations training. Here, we developed a machine-learning-based algorithm...
This article presents the H-PULSE, a novel semi-passive upper-limb exoskeleton for worker assistance, with motorized tuning of assistive level. The H-PULSE design features compared to other passive industrial exoskeletons upper limbs, namely joint angle sensors measuring shoulder flexion/extension and active mechanism regulating assistance These could enhance effectiveness system. Along presentation design, this reports on system experimental evaluation human subjects. was assessed in...
Upper-limb occupational exoskeletons to support the workers' upper arms are typically designed provide antigravitational support. Although typical work activities require workers perform static and dynamic actions, majority of studies in literature investigated effects upper-limb quasi-static activities, while only a few works focused on tasks. This article presents systematic evaluation different levels (from about 60% 100% arm gravitational load) provided by passive exoskeleton muscles'...
Repetitive lifting of heavy loads increases the risk back pain and even lumbar vertebral injuries to workers. Active exoskeletons can help workers lift by providing power assistance, therefore reduce moment force applied on L5/S1 joint human body when performing tasks. However, most existing active for assistance are unable automatically detect user's movement, which limits wide application in factories. In this paper, we propose a simple but effective detection strategy exoskeleton control....
Dynamic control of robotic exoskeletons is paramount to ensuring safe, synergistic assistive action functional benefit users. To date, exoskeleton controllers have excelled in rhythmic and quasi-rhythmic tasks, whereas methods for assisting discrete movements remain limited by their task-specificity. Inspired neurophysiological dynamic movement primitives (DMPs), we formulated a novel controller that facilitated variety lifting using single <i>adaptive</i> DMP (aDMP), wearable assistance...
Typical industrial work activities may include a variety of different gestures, entailing the execution dynamic and static movements. Occupational upper-limb exoskeletons can assist shoulder complex in both but required assistance level be according to tasks. This article presents design, development, experimental evaluation novel kinematics-based adaptive algorithm for semi-passive exoskeleton. The uses kinematic signals gathered by onboard sensors set amplitude type movement being...
Small to medium-sized shipyards play a crucial role in the European naval industry. However, globalization of technology has increased competition, posing significant challenges shipyards, particularly domestic markets for short sea, work, and inland vessels. Many shipyard operations still rely on manual, labor-intensive tasks performed by highly skilled operators. In response, adoption new tools is essential enhance efficiency competitiveness. This paper presents methodology developing...
The number of exoskeletons providing load-lifting assistance has significantly increased over the last decade. In this field, to take full advantage active and provide appropriate users, it is essential develop control systems that are able reliably recognize classify users' movement when performing various lifting tasks. To end, movement-decoding algorithm should work robustly with different users techniques. Currently, there no studies presenting methods techniques in real time for...
We present a novel assistive control strategy for robotic hip exoskeleton assisting flexion/extension, based on proportional EMG strategy. The novelty of the proposed controller relies use Gastrocnemius Medialis signal instead flexor muscle, to flexion torque. This has two main advantages: first, avoiding placement electrodes at human-robot interface can reduce discomfort issues user and motion artifacts recorded signals; second, using powerful control, such as Medialis, could improve...
Low-back wearable robots are emerging tools to provide support operators during handling of goods and repetitive operations. In this paper, we present validate a novel control strategy for an active pelvis orthosis, which operates intuitively effectively assist workers lifting The proposed has hierarchical architecture: the first layer (the intention-detection module) aims detect online onset movement; second assistive strategy) computes reference torque profile movement, after movement is...
Lumbar exoskeletons have the potential to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries in workers performing repetitive manual handling tasks. For a wide adoption of industrial workplaces definition methodologies metrics is crucial. In this paper, we present an overview evaluation methods from state-of-the-art studies propose set suitable tests evaluate lumbar exoskeletons.
In this paper we present a novel EMG-based assistive control strategy for lower-limb exoskeletons. An active pelvis orthosis (APO) generates torque profiles the hip flexion motion assistance, according to Gastrocnemius Medialis EMG signal. The has been tested on one healthy subject: experimental results show that user is able reduce his muscular activation when assistance switched with respect free walking condition.
Exoskeletons for industrial use are emerging to mitigate the risk of occurrence work-related musculoskeletal diseases, such as low-back pain due repetitive lifting activities. Yet, several factors limiting practical these devices in real-case scenarios, their weight and comfort. In this work, we describe iWear, an underactuated multi-joint exoskeleton applications. The key design feature device is single actuation unit based on a Series-Elastic Actuation architecture, which drives three...
Abstract Humans naturally employ muscle coactivation to facilitate a broad range of movements, enhancing joint stability and movement accuracy. However, excessive can become unfavorable or even detrimental. This phenomenon is often observed in industrial workers who endure repetitive prolonged stress, particularly areas such as the shoulders. Prolonged stress result soft tissue damage onset work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). In recent years, there have been efforts mitigate...