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User-Centered Design and Development of the Modular TWIN Lower Limb Exoskeleton.
Matteo Laffranchi1, Stefano D'Angella1, Christian Vassallo1
1Rehab Technologies Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy.
Frontiers in Neurorobotics
|October 25, 2021
Summary
TWIN is a new modular lower limb exoskeleton designed for spinal-cord injury (SCI) users. User-centered design ensured it meets needs for personal use, offering autonomy and improved usability.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rehabilitation Technology
- Human-Machine Systems
Background:
- Powered exoskeletons have long been explored for rehabilitation and personal use but often fail to meet user needs.
- Existing devices lack user-centric design, leading to challenges in autonomy, portability, and ease of use for individuals with spinal-cord injury (SCI).
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce TWIN, a novel modular lower limb exoskeleton specifically developed for personal use by SCI subjects.
- To apply user-centered design methodologies, typically used in the medical device industry, to create a functional and accessible exoskeleton.
Main Methods:
- Participatory investigations involving patients, engineers, designers, physiatrists, and physical therapists informed user requirements.
- Development of TWIN based on a modular mechatronic design with a focus on lightweight portability, autonomous donning/setup, stability, cost-effectiveness, battery life, comfort, and safety.
- Preliminary assessment using healthy volunteers and a complete SCI patient, adhering to usability engineering standards.
Main Results:
- The user-centered design process effectively guided development, resulting in modular mechatronics and novel quick-release systems.
- Preliminary tests validated TWIN's mechatronics and highlighted its high potential for system usability in personal use scenarios.
- Formative evaluation confirmed the effectiveness of the design approach for addressing user needs.
Conclusions:
- The TWIN exoskeleton, developed through extensive user involvement, demonstrates significant potential for enhancing personal mobility and independence in SCI individuals.
- The application of user-centered design proved highly effective in creating a device that addresses critical user requirements for personal exoskeleton use.
- Further evaluation is planned to confirm TWIN's usability as a medical device, building on promising preliminary results.
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