We co-organize a Special Issue on Wearable Robotics in IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine where we call for papers on working systems that are evaluated with human subjects in order to determine the technology’s practical potential and impact on people with disabilities, workers, sportsmen, and others.
The SPEXOR consortium met at University of Primorska in Koper, Slovenia on October 22-23, 2018.
We had a SPEXOR booth at the joint event of Werob 2018 and ICNR 2018 in Pisa, Italy, where we successfully demonstrated the passive version of our prototype to the numerous participants of the conference.
We organized two special sessions at Werob 2018: Exoskeleton Research in Europe where we brought together researchers from ongoing and recently finished European projects and initiatives on exoskeletons and other wearable orthotic devices. We discussed on how to increase and intensify collaboration and information exchange between the projects and how to make sure that new […]
Katja Mombaur from UHEI gave a keynote lecture at IROS 2018 in Madrid titled “Realistic models of human motions for better wearable robots” and a plenary lecture at ICNR 2018 in Pisa titled “Optimization-based analysis and design of exoskeletons, prostheses and assistive devices”. In both she extensively discussed modeling and optimization work on spinal exoskeletons […]
Researchers at UHEI performed various optimization studies on the design of active spinal exoskeletons for the support of lifting motions which serve as an input for the upcoming work in the project. For an exoskeleton model with rigid segments and motors at the hip and lumbar joints, we determined motions and corresponding human and exoskeleton […]
We had a SPEXOR booth at the largest robotics conference IROS2018 where we successfully demonstrated the passive version of our prototype to the numerous participants of the conference.
A misalignment compensation mechanism for the hip was developed to increase the comfort of the exoskeleton and to hinder movements as little as possible. A purely passive torque source at hip level generates the support needed to unload the lower back.
Continuus carbon fiber beams which generate support and allow for a large range of motion are used as a back interface. Combined with the torque source at the hip, they generate the torque which reduces the strain on the lower back.
We assessed full body kinematics and spine load components in natural lifting, to find kinematic and support pattern requirements for the SPEXOR actuated exoskeleton. Furthermore, using a benchmark actuated exoskeleton, we investigated how specific actuation control modes interact with subject behavior, and how this affects spine loading.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 687662.