Related papers: Task-Agnostic Exoskeleton Control Supports Elderly…
Many people could benefit from exoskeleton assistance during gait, for either medical or nonmedical purposes. But exoskeletons bring added mass and structure, which in turn require compensating for. In this work, we present a lightweight,…
In legged locomotion, the relationship between different gait behaviors and energy consumption must consider the full-body dynamics and the robot control as a whole, which cannot be captured by simple models. This work studies the robot…
Just like in humans vision plays a fundamental role in guiding adaptive locomotion, when designing the control strategy for a walking assistive technology, Computer Vision may bring substantial improvements when performing an…
Rehabilitation technology is a natural setting to study the shared learning and decision-making of human and machine agents. In this work, we explore the use of Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning (HRL) to develop adaptive control…
The hybrid zero dynamics control concept for bipedal walking is extended to include a non-instantaneous double support phase. A symmetric robot that consists of five rigid body segments which are connected by four actuated revolute joints…
The passive body-area electrostatic field has recently been aspiringly explored for wearable motion sensing, harnessing its two thrilling characteristics: full-body motion sensitivity and environmental sensitivity, which potentially…
Personalised rehabilitation can be key to promoting gait independence and quality of life. Robots can enhance therapy by systematically delivering support in gait training, but often use one-size-fits-all control methods, which can be…
Loss of mobility or balance resulting from neural trauma is a critical consideration in public health. Robotic exoskeletons hold great potential for rehabilitation and assisted movement, yet optimal assist-as-needed (AAN) control remains…
Robotic exoskeletons can enhance human strength and aid people with physical disabilities. However, designing them to ensure safety and optimal performance presents significant challenges. Developing exoskeletons should incorporate specific…
Natural control of limb motion is continuous and progressively adaptive to individual intent. While intuitive interfaces have the potential to rely on the neuromuscular input by the user for continuous adaptation, continuous volitional…
Legged robots leverage ground contacts and the reaction forces they provide to achieve agile locomotion. However, uncertainty coupled with contact discontinuities can lead to failure, especially in real-world environments with unexpected…
We present a highly reactive controller which enables bipedal robots to blindly walk over various kinds of uneven terrains while resisting pushes. The high level motion planner does fast online optimization for footstep locations and Center…
Maintaining an active lifestyle is vital for quality of life, yet challenging for wheelchair users. For instance, powered wheelchairs face increasing risks of obesity and deconditioning due to inactivity. Conversely, manual wheelchair…
Movement disorders impact muscle strength and mobility, and despite therapeutic efforts, many people with movement disorders have challenges functioning independently. Soft wearable robots, or exosuits, offer a promising solution for…
This paper presents the design and development of a robotic system to give physical assistance to the elderly or people with neurological disorders such as Ataxia or Parkinson's. In particular, we propose using a mobile collaborative robot…
Traditional force-controlled bipedal walking utilizes highly bent knees, resulting in high torques as well as inefficient, and unnatural motions. Even with advanced planning of center of mass height trajectories, significant amounts of…
Exoskeleton devices impose kinematic constraints on a user's motion and affect their stability due to added mass but also due to the simplified mechanical design. This paper investigates how these constraints resulting from simplified…
The ability to realize nonlinear controllers with formal guarantees on dynamic robotic systems has the potential to enable more complex robotic behaviors -- yet, realizing these controllers is often practically challenging. To address this…
Assistive devices, such as exoskeletons and prostheses, have revolutionized the field of rehabilitation and mobility assistance. Efficiently detecting transitions between different activities, such as walking, stair ascending and…
In this paper, an approach for gait assistance with a lower body exoskeleton is described. Two concepts, transparency and motion assistance, are combined. The transparent mode, where the system is following the user's free motion with a…