Benchmarking Brain-Computer Interfaces Outside the Laboratory: The Cybathlon 2016.

This paper presents a new approach to benchmarking brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) outside the lab. A computer game was created that mimics a real-world application of assistive BCIs, with the main outcome metric being the time needed to complete the game. This approach was used at the Cybathlon 2016, a competition for people with disabilities who use assistive technology to achieve tasks.

A preliminary study into the effects of pelvic rotations on upper body lateral translation.

An understanding concerning the roles of the various degrees of freedom of the human body during functions such as walking is crucial to the design of robotic devices for rehabilitation. However, the function of the three rotational degrees of freedom of the pelvis during walking remains uncertain. Theories have been previously presented postulating a role of pelvic obliquity in reducing vertical movements of the body's centre of mass, and therefore in minimising energy expenditure, but these are not fully supported by empirical evidence.

A novel body weight support system extension: initial concept and simulation study.

Body weight supported treadmill training is an approach to gait rehabilitation following a stroke or spinal cord injury. Although lateral control of balance is an important aspect of walking, many of the currently available body weight support systems have a fixed pulley configuration which can lead to lateral forces being developed in the supporting cables, interfering with the lateral balance task. In this paper, a novel extension for body weight support systems, used for treadmill walking, is presented which features a system of pulleys and trolleys.

Towards more effective robotic gait training for stroke rehabilitation: a review.

Background: Stroke is the most common cause of disability in the developed world and can severely degrade walking function. Robot-driven gait therapy can provide assistance to patients during training and offers a number of advantages over other forms of therapy. These potential benefits do not, however, seem to have been fully realised as of yet in clinical practice.

Effects of added inertia and body weight support on lateral balance control during walking.

A robot-driven gait orthosis which allows balance training during gait would further enhance the capabilities of robotic treadmill training in gait rehabilitation. In this paper, additional mass is attached to walking able-bodied subjects to simulate the effects of additional inertia and body weight support on the lateral balance task. The combination of additional inertia and body weight support led to reduced step widths, suggesting a stabilising effect which may reduce the challenge of the lateral balance task.