Segmentation of demonstration trajectories and learning the contained motion primitives can effectively enhance the assistive robot's intelligence to flexibly reproduce learnt tasks in an unstructured environment....Segmentation of demonstration trajectories and learning the contained motion primitives can effectively enhance the assistive robot's intelligence to flexibly reproduce learnt tasks in an unstructured environment.With the aim to conveniently and accurately segment demonstration trajectories,a novel demonstration trajectory segmentation approach is proposed based on the beta process autoregressive hidden Markov model(BP-ARHMM)algorithm and generalised time warping(GTW)algorithm aiming to enhance the segmentation accuracy utilising acquired demonstration data.This approach first adopts the GTW algorithm to align the multiple demonstration trajectories for the same task.Then,it adopts the BP-AR-HMM algorithm to segment the demonstration trajectories,acquire the contained motion primitives,and establish the related task library.This segmentation approach is validated on the 6-degree-of-freedom JACO robotic arm by assisting users to accomplish a holding water glass task and an eating task.The experimental results show that the motion primitives within the trajectories can be correctly segmented with a high segmentation accuracy.展开更多
There are about 253 million people with visual impairment worldwide.Many of them use a white cane and/or a guide dog as the mobility tool for daily travel.Despite decades of efforts,electronic navigation aid that can ...There are about 253 million people with visual impairment worldwide.Many of them use a white cane and/or a guide dog as the mobility tool for daily travel.Despite decades of efforts,electronic navigation aid that can replace white cane is still research in progress.In this paper,we propose an RGB-D camera based visual positioning system(VPS)for real-time localization of a robotic navigation aid(RNA)in an architectural floor plan for assistive navigation.The core of the system is the combination of a new 6-DOF depth-enhanced visual-inertial odometry(DVIO)method and a particle filter localization(PFL)method.DVIO estimates RNA’s pose by using the data from an RGB-D camera and an inertial measurement unit(IMU).It extracts the floor plane from the camera’s depth data and tightly couples the floor plane,the visual features(with and without depth data),and the IMU’s inertial data in a graph optimization framework to estimate the device’s 6-DOF pose.Due to the use of the floor plane and depth data from the RGB-D camera,DVIO has a better pose estimation accuracy than the conventional VIO method.To reduce the accumulated pose error of DVIO for navigation in a large indoor space,we developed the PFL method to locate RNA in the floor plan.PFL leverages geometric information of the architectural CAD drawing of an indoor space to further reduce the error of the DVIO-estimated pose.Based on VPS,an assistive navigation system is developed for the RNA prototype to assist a visually impaired person in navigating a large indoor space.Experimental results demonstrate that:1)DVIO method achieves better pose estimation accuracy than the state-of-the-art VIO method and performs real-time pose estimation(18 Hz pose update rate)on a UP Board computer;2)PFL reduces the DVIO-accrued pose error by 82.5%on average and allows for accurate wayfinding(endpoint position error≤45 cm)in large indoor spaces.展开更多
Physical assistive robotics are oriented to support and improve functional capacities of people.In physical rehabilitation,robots are indeed useful for functional recovery of affected limb.However,there are still open...Physical assistive robotics are oriented to support and improve functional capacities of people.In physical rehabilitation,robots are indeed useful for functional recovery of affected limb.However,there are still open questions related to technological aspects.This work presents a systematic review of upper limb rehabilitation robotics in order to analyze and establish technological challenges and future directions in this area.A bibliometric analysis was performed for the systematic literature review.Literature from the last six years,conducted between August 2020 and May 2021,was reviewed.The methodology for the literature search and a bibliometric analysis of the metadata are presented.After a preliminary search resulted in 820 articles,a total of 66 articles were included.A concurrency network and bibliographic analysis were provided.And an analysis of occurrences,taxonomy,and rehabilitation robotics reported in the literature is presented.This review aims to provide to the scientific community an overview of the state of the art in assistive robotics for upper limb physical rehabilitation.The literature analysis allows access to a gap of unexplored options to define the technological prospects applied to upper limb physical rehabilitation robotics.展开更多
An assistive robot is a novel service robot, playing an important role in the society. For instance, it can amplify human power not only for the elderly and disabled to recover/rehabilitate their lost/impaired musculo...An assistive robot is a novel service robot, playing an important role in the society. For instance, it can amplify human power not only for the elderly and disabled to recover/rehabilitate their lost/impaired musculoskeletal functions but also for healthy people to perform tasks requiring large forces. Consequently, it is required to consider both accurate position control and human safety, which is the compliance. This paper deals with the robot control compliance problem based on the QNX real-time operating system. Firstly, the mechanical structure of a compliant joint on the assistive robot is designed using Solidworks. Then the parameters of the assistive robot system are identified. The software of robot control includes data acquisition and processing, and control to meet the compliance requirement of the joint control. Finally, a Hogan impedance control experiment is carried out. The experimental results prove the effectiveness of the method proposed.展开更多
North East Asian countries are facing to rapid increase in aged population ratio.The most recent values of aged population ratios are 19.5%,8.7%,and 6.9%,for Japan,Korea and China,respectively.One of the welfare servi...North East Asian countries are facing to rapid increase in aged population ratio.The most recent values of aged population ratios are 19.5%,8.7%,and 6.9%,for Japan,Korea and China,respectively.One of the welfare services in the aged society is provision of assistive products.Electronic control systems are commonly adopted in modern assistive products and sensors are indispensable for control units.Alarm systems,such as fire alarm,smoke detectors,and gas leak detectors,have been regarded as indispensable to safety of elderly persons and persons with disability.Main application of chemical sensors in home care of elderly persons is in the field of personal care and personal medical treatment.Products for personal medical treatment include that for medical treatment in home care and that to keep elderly persons healthy.Large market is expected in the latter one.展开更多
This paper describes the analysis and design of an assistive device for elderly people under development at the EgyptJapan University of Science and Technology（E-JUST） named E-JUST assistive device（EJAD）.Several e...This paper describes the analysis and design of an assistive device for elderly people under development at the EgyptJapan University of Science and Technology（E-JUST） named E-JUST assistive device（EJAD）.Several experiments were carried out using a motion capture system（VICON） and inertial sensors to identify the human posture during the sit-to-stand motion.The EJAD uses only two inertial measurement units（IMUs） fused through an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems（ANFIS） algorithm to imitate the real motion of the caregiver.The EJAD consists of two main parts,a robot arm and an active walker.The robot arm is a 2-degree-of-freedom（2-DOF） planar manipulator.In addition,a back support with a passive joint is used to support the patient s back.The IMUs on the leg and trunk of the patient are used to compensate for and adapt to the EJAD system motion depending on the obtained patient posture.The ANFIS algorithm is used to train the fuzzy system that converts the IMUs signals to the right posture of the patient.A control scheme is proposed to control the system motion based on practical measurements taken from the experiments.A computer simulation showed a relatively good performance of the EJAD in assisting the patient.展开更多
This paper proposes a novel standing assistance robot,which realizes voluntary movements of the patient within a safety motion range.In the previous studies,conventional assistive robots did not require patients to us...This paper proposes a novel standing assistance robot,which realizes voluntary movements of the patient within a safety motion range.In the previous studies,conventional assistive robots did not require patients to use their own physical strength to stand,which led to decreased strength in the elderly.Such general assistive robots helped patients by using a fixed motion reference pathway in spite of their original intention,and as a result,these robots failed to use the physical strength of the patients.Therefore,this study proposes a novel method for assisting the patient to stand up safely while using their physical abilities,by determining the range of movements that can be safely performed from the patient’s physical condition and allowing the patient to move freely within this range.The standing motion is a set of different movements:inclining the trunk forward,lifting the trunk,and extending the trunk.In this study,the range of movements in which the patient can safely stand in each movement is determined in terms of body stability and the muscle output that the patient can generate.Furthermore,this study proposes a robot control method that allows movements based on the patient’s free will if the patient’s posture is within the safety tolerance,and it corrects the movements when the patient’s posture is estimated to fall outside of it.The proposed idea is implemented in our new prototype,and its effectiveness is verified by experimental results with elderly subjects who live in the nursing care house.展开更多
This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the essential considerations in designing adaptive clothing for women with lower limb prostheses in Saudi Arabia. Employing a qualitative methodology, the research entai...This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the essential considerations in designing adaptive clothing for women with lower limb prostheses in Saudi Arabia. Employing a qualitative methodology, the research entailed semi-structured, in-depth interviews with women utilizing lower limb prostheses and prosthetic specialists. This approach was selected to unearth pivotal design prerequisites and comprehend the specific challenges these women encounter within the realm of clothing. The utilization of selective sampling facilitated the collection of intricate and valuable insights. A Functional, Expressive, and Aesthetic (FEA) User Needs model was utilized to scrutinize participant feedback. Functional requisites encompass ease of dressing and undressing, accessibility to the prosthetic limb, comfort, mobility with the prosthesis, and appropriate fit. Additionally, participants highlighted various expressive needs, including privacy preservation, modesty, camouflaging disability appearances, maintaining alignment with non-disabled women’s fashion, and considerations about the aesthetic aspects of garments.展开更多
Gripping devices help patients carry out everyday tasks and increase their independence.However,there seems to be a lack of bionic gripping technologies that can fully adapt to any possible shape,as the use of artific...Gripping devices help patients carry out everyday tasks and increase their independence.However,there seems to be a lack of bionic gripping technologies that can fully adapt to any possible shape,as the use of artificial fingers and predetermined grip settings limits the operating space.The development of a more agile device,which is operated by a simple control paradigm,could greatly benefit users.An electrorheological(ER)fluid system should be able to adapt to the shape of an object and then hold that configuration.The aim of this study was to explore if a conceptual prototype of an ER system could hold a geometric shape when it is activated.A test rig was constructed with a moving part(set in different silicone oils)that could be displaced using a tensometer.Silica particles were dispersed in the silicone oils,and a field with a voltage of 4 kV mm?1 was generated to activate the fluid.The results show that the developed system can support an increased force when activated and hold a simple geometric position without any noticeable delay.This outcome provides an initial proof of concept for a possible new(gravity-assisted)gripping approach using smart fluids,which could be developed with materials that are biocompatible and widely available.展开更多
In order to improve the elderly people's quality of life,supporting their walking behaviors is a promising technology.Therefore,based on one ultrasonic motor,a wire-driven series elastic mechanism for walking assi...In order to improve the elderly people's quality of life,supporting their walking behaviors is a promising technology.Therefore,based on one ultrasonic motor,a wire-driven series elastic mechanism for walking assistive system is proposed and investigated in this research.In contrast to tradition,it innovatively utilizes an ultrasonic motor and a wire-driven series elastic mechanism to achieve superior system performances in aspects of simple structure,high torque/weight ratio,quiet operation,quick response,favorable electromagnetic compatibility,strong shock resistance,better safety,and accurately stable force control.The proposed device is mainly composed of an ultrasonic motor,a linear spring,a steel wire,four pulleys and one rotating part.To overcome the ultrasonic motor's insufficient output torque,a steel wire and pulleys are smartly combined to directly magnify the torque instead of using a conventional gear reducer.Among the pulleys,there is one tailored pulley playing an important role to keep the reduction ratio as 4.5 constantly.Meanwhile,the prototype is manufactured and its actual performance is verified by experimental results.In a one-second operating cycle,it only takes 86 ms for this mechanism to output an assistive torque of 1.6 N·m.At this torque,the ultrasonic motor's speed is around 4.1 rad/s.Moreover,experiments with different operation periods have been conducted for different application scenarios.This study provides a useful idea for the application of ultrasonic motor in walking assistance system.展开更多
China is rapidly becoming an aging society, leading to a significant demand for chronic disease management and personalized healthcare. The development of rehabilitation and assistive robotics in China has gatheredsign...China is rapidly becoming an aging society, leading to a significant demand for chronic disease management and personalized healthcare. The development of rehabilitation and assistive robotics in China has gatheredsignificant attention not only in research fields but also in industries. Such robots aim to either guide patientsin completing therapeutic training or assist people with impaired functions in performing their daily activities.In the past decades, we have witnessed the advancement in rehabilitation and assistive robotics, with diversemechanical designs, functionalities, and purposes. However, the construction of dedicated regulations and policiesis relatively lagged compared with the flourishing development in research fields. Moreover, these kinds of robotsare working or collaborating closely with human beings, bringing unprecedented considerations on ethical issues.This paper aims to provide an overview of major dilemmas in the development of rehabilitation and assistiverobotics in China and propose several potential solutions.展开更多
Alzheimer’s is one of the most disabling neurocognitive diseases. A person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s slowly loses cognitive function and ultimately becomes entirely dependent upon the caregivers. Caregivers must he...Alzheimer’s is one of the most disabling neurocognitive diseases. A person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s slowly loses cognitive function and ultimately becomes entirely dependent upon the caregivers. Caregivers must help the patient in everyday activities ranging from walking to cooking, eating, and so on. In most caregiving facilities, a single caregiver often handles more than one patient, which results in caregiver burnout. Researchers are developing useful technologies to prevent caregiver burnouts and facilitate families in the best possible manner. The goal of this purposive short review of literature is to study the modern tools, devices, and gadgets available to Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers and understand the focus areas for future research. The review identified a range of products and technologies that help in monitoring to diagnosis, aid therapy, and reduce the burden on caregivers. These technologies play a vital role in improving the quality of life for both the patients and the caregivers. The study identified reducing cost of the devices, increasing robustness and dependability of the devices, and various aspects of the assistive technologies, including ethical and privacy issues, as the focus areas for future research.展开更多
In this paper, the recent advances of sensors incorporated in assistive technologies are presented. Based on the function and operation of modern assistive devices, a variety of sensors are described with their featur...In this paper, the recent advances of sensors incorporated in assistive technologies are presented. Based on the function and operation of modern assistive devices, a variety of sensors are described with their features and applications. Further improvements and future trend are pointed out and discussed.展开更多
This study presents a biomechanical analysis of the performance of the STS(sit-to-stand)movement applied to elderly and people with difficulty of displacement comparing it with and without an assistive technology devi...This study presents a biomechanical analysis of the performance of the STS(sit-to-stand)movement applied to elderly and people with difficulty of displacement comparing it with and without an assistive technology device.A biomechanical kinemetry method was used for the movement evaluation.A two-dimensional virtual human model was developed through segmented ergonomic video analysis and the data obtained were numerically simulated to measure the inertial forces and torques of the complete execution of the STS movement.The device allows a vertical elevation of 0 to 400 mm and an anterior slope of up to 25°.A prototype was used to compare the movement with and without the assistive device.As a result,the torques in the lower limbs’joints and the vertical ground reaction forces were reduced by up to 60%and 23%,respectively.There was a reduction of up to 37°in the maximum trunk flexion angle during the cycle.The horizontal displacement of the center of mass was reduced by up to 70%.展开更多
A tactile system to support severe visually-impaired or blind people in the world for their orientation and navigation had been developed. To optimize the design, some parameters of tactile display device were evaluat...A tactile system to support severe visually-impaired or blind people in the world for their orientation and navigation had been developed. To optimize the design, some parameters of tactile display device were evaluated. In the present paper,we focused on the reaction time to tactile stimuli. In the test, the stimuli were produced through a vibration belt that was worn around the participants’ waist. In the choice reaction time task, the participants had to click corresponding arrow keys according to the location of a tactile signal. The findings of this study provided a reference of the reaction time range, so as to design a more effective and safe tactile navigation system.展开更多
The issue of aging population has become a severe problem that restricts global development.Thus,the development of bathing robots for the elderly is of great significance for the national strategy of actively address...The issue of aging population has become a severe problem that restricts global development.Thus,the development of bathing robots for the elderly is of great significance for the national strategy of actively addressing population aging.However,there is a lack of systematic review and analysis for the elderly bathing aids and robots,and the trend of the future development is also unclear.Therefore,by reviewing the relevant literature,this paper systematically analyzes the technical characteristics and usage scenarios of the lying,sitting and auxiliary posture,based on the bathing methods,bathing modes,and post bath care,which can clarify the current research status of bathing aids and robots for the elderly.Meanwhile,from the perspectives of the structural design,motion control and information intelligence,the key technologies and existing problems of bathing aids and robots are elaborated,and the relevant technical system is sorted out.Finally,based on the future of technological elderly care and the elderly bathing needs,the development trend of elderly bathing aids and robots is prospected,and the reference and suggestions for its research and development is provided,which has positive research significance.展开更多
基金Doctoral Research Start-up Fund of Shandong Jiaotong University,Grant/Award Number:BS2024009Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province of China,Grant/Award Number:ZR2022ME087+1 种基金State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems(HIT),Grant/Award Number:SKLRS-2024-KF-09Open Access Publication Fund of Universität Hamburg。
文摘Segmentation of demonstration trajectories and learning the contained motion primitives can effectively enhance the assistive robot's intelligence to flexibly reproduce learnt tasks in an unstructured environment.With the aim to conveniently and accurately segment demonstration trajectories,a novel demonstration trajectory segmentation approach is proposed based on the beta process autoregressive hidden Markov model(BP-ARHMM)algorithm and generalised time warping(GTW)algorithm aiming to enhance the segmentation accuracy utilising acquired demonstration data.This approach first adopts the GTW algorithm to align the multiple demonstration trajectories for the same task.Then,it adopts the BP-AR-HMM algorithm to segment the demonstration trajectories,acquire the contained motion primitives,and establish the related task library.This segmentation approach is validated on the 6-degree-of-freedom JACO robotic arm by assisting users to accomplish a holding water glass task and an eating task.The experimental results show that the motion primitives within the trajectories can be correctly segmented with a high segmentation accuracy.
基金supported by the NIBIB and the NEI of the National Institutes of Health(R01EB018117)。
文摘There are about 253 million people with visual impairment worldwide.Many of them use a white cane and/or a guide dog as the mobility tool for daily travel.Despite decades of efforts,electronic navigation aid that can replace white cane is still research in progress.In this paper,we propose an RGB-D camera based visual positioning system(VPS)for real-time localization of a robotic navigation aid(RNA)in an architectural floor plan for assistive navigation.The core of the system is the combination of a new 6-DOF depth-enhanced visual-inertial odometry(DVIO)method and a particle filter localization(PFL)method.DVIO estimates RNA’s pose by using the data from an RGB-D camera and an inertial measurement unit(IMU).It extracts the floor plane from the camera’s depth data and tightly couples the floor plane,the visual features(with and without depth data),and the IMU’s inertial data in a graph optimization framework to estimate the device’s 6-DOF pose.Due to the use of the floor plane and depth data from the RGB-D camera,DVIO has a better pose estimation accuracy than the conventional VIO method.To reduce the accumulated pose error of DVIO for navigation in a large indoor space,we developed the PFL method to locate RNA in the floor plan.PFL leverages geometric information of the architectural CAD drawing of an indoor space to further reduce the error of the DVIO-estimated pose.Based on VPS,an assistive navigation system is developed for the RNA prototype to assist a visually impaired person in navigating a large indoor space.Experimental results demonstrate that:1)DVIO method achieves better pose estimation accuracy than the state-of-the-art VIO method and performs real-time pose estimation(18 Hz pose update rate)on a UP Board computer;2)PFL reduces the DVIO-accrued pose error by 82.5%on average and allows for accurate wayfinding(endpoint position error≤45 cm)in large indoor spaces.
基金Supported by Militar Nueva Granada University of Colombia (Grant No.IMP-ING-3127)。
文摘Physical assistive robotics are oriented to support and improve functional capacities of people.In physical rehabilitation,robots are indeed useful for functional recovery of affected limb.However,there are still open questions related to technological aspects.This work presents a systematic review of upper limb rehabilitation robotics in order to analyze and establish technological challenges and future directions in this area.A bibliometric analysis was performed for the systematic literature review.Literature from the last six years,conducted between August 2020 and May 2021,was reviewed.The methodology for the literature search and a bibliometric analysis of the metadata are presented.After a preliminary search resulted in 820 articles,a total of 66 articles were included.A concurrency network and bibliographic analysis were provided.And an analysis of occurrences,taxonomy,and rehabilitation robotics reported in the literature is presented.This review aims to provide to the scientific community an overview of the state of the art in assistive robotics for upper limb physical rehabilitation.The literature analysis allows access to a gap of unexplored options to define the technological prospects applied to upper limb physical rehabilitation robotics.
基金supported by National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(863 Program)(No.2011AA040202)National Nature Science Fundation of China(No.51005008)
文摘An assistive robot is a novel service robot, playing an important role in the society. For instance, it can amplify human power not only for the elderly and disabled to recover/rehabilitate their lost/impaired musculoskeletal functions but also for healthy people to perform tasks requiring large forces. Consequently, it is required to consider both accurate position control and human safety, which is the compliance. This paper deals with the robot control compliance problem based on the QNX real-time operating system. Firstly, the mechanical structure of a compliant joint on the assistive robot is designed using Solidworks. Then the parameters of the assistive robot system are identified. The software of robot control includes data acquisition and processing, and control to meet the compliance requirement of the joint control. Finally, a Hogan impedance control experiment is carried out. The experimental results prove the effectiveness of the method proposed.
文摘North East Asian countries are facing to rapid increase in aged population ratio.The most recent values of aged population ratios are 19.5%,8.7%,and 6.9%,for Japan,Korea and China,respectively.One of the welfare services in the aged society is provision of assistive products.Electronic control systems are commonly adopted in modern assistive products and sensors are indispensable for control units.Alarm systems,such as fire alarm,smoke detectors,and gas leak detectors,have been regarded as indispensable to safety of elderly persons and persons with disability.Main application of chemical sensors in home care of elderly persons is in the field of personal care and personal medical treatment.Products for personal medical treatment include that for medical treatment in home care and that to keep elderly persons healthy.Large market is expected in the latter one.
基金supported in part by a scholarship provided by the Mission DepartmentMinistry of Higher Education of the Government of Egypt
文摘This paper describes the analysis and design of an assistive device for elderly people under development at the EgyptJapan University of Science and Technology（E-JUST） named E-JUST assistive device（EJAD）.Several experiments were carried out using a motion capture system（VICON） and inertial sensors to identify the human posture during the sit-to-stand motion.The EJAD uses only two inertial measurement units（IMUs） fused through an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems（ANFIS） algorithm to imitate the real motion of the caregiver.The EJAD consists of two main parts,a robot arm and an active walker.The robot arm is a 2-degree-of-freedom（2-DOF） planar manipulator.In addition,a back support with a passive joint is used to support the patient s back.The IMUs on the leg and trunk of the patient are used to compensate for and adapt to the EJAD system motion depending on the obtained patient posture.The ANFIS algorithm is used to train the fuzzy system that converts the IMUs signals to the right posture of the patient.A control scheme is proposed to control the system motion based on practical measurements taken from the experiments.A computer simulation showed a relatively good performance of the EJAD in assisting the patient.
基金This work is supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research B(20H04566),B(22H03998)and C(16K01580)the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science,the Matching Planner Program(VP29117940231)Japan Science and Technology Agency,JST,and Individual Special Research Subsidy from Kwansei Gakuin University.
文摘This paper proposes a novel standing assistance robot,which realizes voluntary movements of the patient within a safety motion range.In the previous studies,conventional assistive robots did not require patients to use their own physical strength to stand,which led to decreased strength in the elderly.Such general assistive robots helped patients by using a fixed motion reference pathway in spite of their original intention,and as a result,these robots failed to use the physical strength of the patients.Therefore,this study proposes a novel method for assisting the patient to stand up safely while using their physical abilities,by determining the range of movements that can be safely performed from the patient’s physical condition and allowing the patient to move freely within this range.The standing motion is a set of different movements:inclining the trunk forward,lifting the trunk,and extending the trunk.In this study,the range of movements in which the patient can safely stand in each movement is determined in terms of body stability and the muscle output that the patient can generate.Furthermore,this study proposes a robot control method that allows movements based on the patient’s free will if the patient’s posture is within the safety tolerance,and it corrects the movements when the patient’s posture is estimated to fall outside of it.The proposed idea is implemented in our new prototype,and its effectiveness is verified by experimental results with elderly subjects who live in the nursing care house.
文摘This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the essential considerations in designing adaptive clothing for women with lower limb prostheses in Saudi Arabia. Employing a qualitative methodology, the research entailed semi-structured, in-depth interviews with women utilizing lower limb prostheses and prosthetic specialists. This approach was selected to unearth pivotal design prerequisites and comprehend the specific challenges these women encounter within the realm of clothing. The utilization of selective sampling facilitated the collection of intricate and valuable insights. A Functional, Expressive, and Aesthetic (FEA) User Needs model was utilized to scrutinize participant feedback. Functional requisites encompass ease of dressing and undressing, accessibility to the prosthetic limb, comfort, mobility with the prosthesis, and appropriate fit. Additionally, participants highlighted various expressive needs, including privacy preservation, modesty, camouflaging disability appearances, maintaining alignment with non-disabled women’s fashion, and considerations about the aesthetic aspects of garments.
文摘Gripping devices help patients carry out everyday tasks and increase their independence.However,there seems to be a lack of bionic gripping technologies that can fully adapt to any possible shape,as the use of artificial fingers and predetermined grip settings limits the operating space.The development of a more agile device,which is operated by a simple control paradigm,could greatly benefit users.An electrorheological(ER)fluid system should be able to adapt to the shape of an object and then hold that configuration.The aim of this study was to explore if a conceptual prototype of an ER system could hold a geometric shape when it is activated.A test rig was constructed with a moving part(set in different silicone oils)that could be displaced using a tensometer.Silica particles were dispersed in the silicone oils,and a field with a voltage of 4 kV mm?1 was generated to activate the fluid.The results show that the developed system can support an increased force when activated and hold a simple geometric position without any noticeable delay.This outcome provides an initial proof of concept for a possible new(gravity-assisted)gripping approach using smart fluids,which could be developed with materials that are biocompatible and widely available.
基金Supported by China Scholarship Council(Grant No.202006830033),Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD)of China.
文摘In order to improve the elderly people's quality of life,supporting their walking behaviors is a promising technology.Therefore,based on one ultrasonic motor,a wire-driven series elastic mechanism for walking assistive system is proposed and investigated in this research.In contrast to tradition,it innovatively utilizes an ultrasonic motor and a wire-driven series elastic mechanism to achieve superior system performances in aspects of simple structure,high torque/weight ratio,quiet operation,quick response,favorable electromagnetic compatibility,strong shock resistance,better safety,and accurately stable force control.The proposed device is mainly composed of an ultrasonic motor,a linear spring,a steel wire,four pulleys and one rotating part.To overcome the ultrasonic motor's insufficient output torque,a steel wire and pulleys are smartly combined to directly magnify the torque instead of using a conventional gear reducer.Among the pulleys,there is one tailored pulley playing an important role to keep the reduction ratio as 4.5 constantly.Meanwhile,the prototype is manufactured and its actual performance is verified by experimental results.In a one-second operating cycle,it only takes 86 ms for this mechanism to output an assistive torque of 1.6 N·m.At this torque,the ultrasonic motor's speed is around 4.1 rad/s.Moreover,experiments with different operation periods have been conducted for different application scenarios.This study provides a useful idea for the application of ultrasonic motor in walking assistance system.
基金the Zhejiang Provincial Philosophy and Social Science Foundation(No.22NDQN293YB)the Fund of the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(No.20DZ2220400)。
文摘China is rapidly becoming an aging society, leading to a significant demand for chronic disease management and personalized healthcare. The development of rehabilitation and assistive robotics in China has gatheredsignificant attention not only in research fields but also in industries. Such robots aim to either guide patientsin completing therapeutic training or assist people with impaired functions in performing their daily activities.In the past decades, we have witnessed the advancement in rehabilitation and assistive robotics, with diversemechanical designs, functionalities, and purposes. However, the construction of dedicated regulations and policiesis relatively lagged compared with the flourishing development in research fields. Moreover, these kinds of robotsare working or collaborating closely with human beings, bringing unprecedented considerations on ethical issues.This paper aims to provide an overview of major dilemmas in the development of rehabilitation and assistiverobotics in China and propose several potential solutions.
文摘Alzheimer’s is one of the most disabling neurocognitive diseases. A person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s slowly loses cognitive function and ultimately becomes entirely dependent upon the caregivers. Caregivers must help the patient in everyday activities ranging from walking to cooking, eating, and so on. In most caregiving facilities, a single caregiver often handles more than one patient, which results in caregiver burnout. Researchers are developing useful technologies to prevent caregiver burnouts and facilitate families in the best possible manner. The goal of this purposive short review of literature is to study the modern tools, devices, and gadgets available to Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers and understand the focus areas for future research. The review identified a range of products and technologies that help in monitoring to diagnosis, aid therapy, and reduce the burden on caregivers. These technologies play a vital role in improving the quality of life for both the patients and the caregivers. The study identified reducing cost of the devices, increasing robustness and dependability of the devices, and various aspects of the assistive technologies, including ethical and privacy issues, as the focus areas for future research.
文摘In this paper, the recent advances of sensors incorporated in assistive technologies are presented. Based on the function and operation of modern assistive devices, a variety of sensors are described with their features and applications. Further improvements and future trend are pointed out and discussed.
文摘This study presents a biomechanical analysis of the performance of the STS(sit-to-stand)movement applied to elderly and people with difficulty of displacement comparing it with and without an assistive technology device.A biomechanical kinemetry method was used for the movement evaluation.A two-dimensional virtual human model was developed through segmented ergonomic video analysis and the data obtained were numerically simulated to measure the inertial forces and torques of the complete execution of the STS movement.The device allows a vertical elevation of 0 to 400 mm and an anterior slope of up to 25°.A prototype was used to compare the movement with and without the assistive device.As a result,the torques in the lower limbs’joints and the vertical ground reaction forces were reduced by up to 60%and 23%,respectively.There was a reduction of up to 37°in the maximum trunk flexion angle during the cycle.The horizontal displacement of the center of mass was reduced by up to 70%.
文摘A tactile system to support severe visually-impaired or blind people in the world for their orientation and navigation had been developed. To optimize the design, some parameters of tactile display device were evaluated. In the present paper,we focused on the reaction time to tactile stimuli. In the test, the stimuli were produced through a vibration belt that was worn around the participants’ waist. In the choice reaction time task, the participants had to click corresponding arrow keys according to the location of a tactile signal. The findings of this study provided a reference of the reaction time range, so as to design a more effective and safe tactile navigation system.
基金partly supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2020YFC2007700)Interdisciplinary Team ofIntelligent Elderly Care and Rehabilitation in the“Double first-class”Construction of BUPT(2023SYLTD04)+1 种基金Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of BUPT(510224074)the BUPT excellent Ph.D.Students Foundation(CX2023315).
文摘The issue of aging population has become a severe problem that restricts global development.Thus,the development of bathing robots for the elderly is of great significance for the national strategy of actively addressing population aging.However,there is a lack of systematic review and analysis for the elderly bathing aids and robots,and the trend of the future development is also unclear.Therefore,by reviewing the relevant literature,this paper systematically analyzes the technical characteristics and usage scenarios of the lying,sitting and auxiliary posture,based on the bathing methods,bathing modes,and post bath care,which can clarify the current research status of bathing aids and robots for the elderly.Meanwhile,from the perspectives of the structural design,motion control and information intelligence,the key technologies and existing problems of bathing aids and robots are elaborated,and the relevant technical system is sorted out.Finally,based on the future of technological elderly care and the elderly bathing needs,the development trend of elderly bathing aids and robots is prospected,and the reference and suggestions for its research and development is provided,which has positive research significance.
