Human-robot-interaction control for orthoses with pneumatic soft-actuators--concept and initial trails.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Technology

Background:

• Compliant pneumatic soft-actuators offer enhanced safety and comfort for human-robot interaction.
• These actuators are suitable for developing rehabilitation robots for activities of daily living (ADL).
• Stroke patients with hemiplegia often require assistance with mobility tasks like sit-to-stand.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a human-robot interaction control concept for robots using compliant pneumatic soft-actuators attached to the human body.
• To adapt this concept for rehabilitation robots aiding stroke patients with hemiplegia.
• To verify the concept using a sit-to-stand task as an application example.

Main Methods:

• Developed a human-robot interaction control concept for soft-actuator robots.
• Implemented a master-slave position control strategy on a 2 Degree of Freedom (DOF) exoskeleton robot.
• Transferred movement from the unaffected leg to the affected leg to assist in rising.
• Enabled manual adjustment of knee joint support for enhanced stability.

Main Results:

• Preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed control concept.
• The system successfully supported sit-to-stand movements by transferring motion between legs.
• Manual adjustment of knee stabilization was integrated and evaluated.

Conclusions:

• The presented control concept shows promise for rehabilitation robotics, particularly for stroke patients.
• The use of compliant soft-actuators and master-slave control enhances user comfort and safety.
• Further development and testing are warranted to optimize the system for clinical application.