Crucial hurdles to achieving human-robot harmony.

Holistic consideration of the human and the robot is necessary to overcome hurdles in human-robot interaction.

Validation of Snaptics: A Modular Approach to Low-Cost Wearable Multi-Sensory Haptics.

Wearable haptic devices provide touch feedback to users for applications including virtual reality, prosthetics, and navigation. When these devices are designed for experimental validation in research settings, they are often highly specialized and customized to the specific application being studied. As such, it can be difficult to replicate device hardware due to the associated high costs of customized components and the complexity of their design and construction.

Assessing the Effect of Cervical Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation With an Upper Limb Robotic Exoskeleton and Surface Electromyography.

Transcutaneous spinal stimulation (TSS) is a promising rehabilitative intervention to restore motor function and coordination for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). The effects of TSS are most commonly assessed by evaluating muscle response to stimulation using surface electromyography (sEMG). Given the increasing use of robotic devices to deliver therapy and the emerging potential of hybrid rehabilitation interventions that combine neuromodulation with robotic devices, there is an opportunity to leverage the on-board sensors of the robots to measure kinematic and torque changes of joints in the presence of stimulation.

Design and Evaluation of a 3-DoF Haptic Device for Directional Shear Cues on the Forearm.

Wearable haptic devices on the forearm can relay information from virtual agents, robots, and other humans while leaving the hands free. We introduce and test a new wearable haptic device that uses soft actuators to provide normal and shear force to the skin of the forearm. A rigid housing and gear motor are used to control the direction of the shear force.

Multi Degree of Freedom Hybrid FES and Robotic Control of the Upper Limb.

Individuals who have suffered a spinal cord injury often require assistance to complete daily activities, and for individuals with tetraplegia, recovery of upper-limb function is among their top priorities. Hybrid functional electrical stimulation (FES) and exoskeleton systems have emerged as a potential solution to provide upper limb movement assistance. These systems leverage the user's own muscles via FES and provide additional movement support via an assistive exoskeleton.

Comparing the Perceived Intensity of Vibrotacitle Cues Scaled Based on Inherent Dynamic Range.

Wearable devices increasingly incorporate vibrotactile feedback notifications to users, which are limited by the frequency-dependent response characteristics of the low-cost actuators that they employ. To increase the range and type of information that can be conveyed to users via vibration feedback, it is crucial to understand user perception of vibration cue intensity across the narrow range of frequencies that these actuators operate. In this paper, we quantify user perception of vibration cues conveyed via a linear resonant actuator embedded in a bracelet interface using two psychophysical experiments.

Combinatorial Effects of Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation and Task-Specific Training to Enhance Hand Motor Output after Paralysis.

Background: Despite the positive results in upper limb (UL) motor recovery after using electrical neuromodulation in individuals after cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) or stroke, there has been limited exploration of potential benefits of combining task-specific hand grip training with transcutaneous electrical spinal stimulation (TSS) for individuals with UL paralysis.

Objectives: This study investigates the combinatorial effects of task-specific hand grip training and noninvasive TSS to enhance hand motor output after paralysis.

Methods: Four participants with cervical SCI classified as AIS A and B and two participants with cerebral stroke were recruited in this study.

Representational Similarity Analysis for Tracking Neural Correlates of Haptic Learning on a Multimodal Device.

A goal of wearable haptic devices has been to enable haptic communication, where individuals learn to map information typically processed visually or aurally to haptic cues via a process of cross-modal associative learning. Neural correlates have been used to evaluate haptic perception and may provide a more objective approach to assess association performance than more commonly used behavioral measures of performance. In this article, we examine Representational Similarity Analysis (RSA) of electroencephalography (EEG) as a framework to evaluate how the neural representation of multifeatured haptic cues changes with association training.

Defining Allowable Stimulus Ranges for Position and Force Controlled Cutaneous Cues.

Haptic cues delivered via wearable devices have great potential to enhance a user's experience by transmitting task information and touch sensations in domains such as virtual reality, teleoperation, and prosthetics. Much is still unknown on how haptic perception, and consequently optimal haptic cue design, varies between individuals. In this work we present three contributions.

Mechanofluidic Instability-Driven Wearable Textile Vibrotactor.

Vibration is a widely used mode of haptic communication, as vibrotactile cues provide salient haptic notifications to users and are easily integrated into wearable or handheld devices. Fluidic textile-based devices offer an appealing platform for the incorporation of vibrotactile haptic feedback, as they can be integrated into clothing and other conforming and compliant wearables. Fluidically driven vibrotactile feedback has primarily relied on valves to regulate actuating frequencies in wearable devices.

Hybrid FES-exoskeleton control: Using MPC to distribute actuation for elbow and wrist movements.

Introduction: Individuals who have suffered a cervical spinal cord injury prioritize the recovery of upper limb function for completing activities of daily living. Hybrid FES-exoskeleton systems have the potential to assist this population by providing a portable, powered, and wearable device; however, realization of this combination of technologies has been challenging. In particular, it has been difficult to show generalizability across motions, and to define optimal distribution of actuation, given the complex nature of the combined dynamic system.

Shared Control of Elbow Movements with Functional Electrical Stimulation and Exoskeleton Assistance.

Individuals who suffer from paralysis as a result of a spinal cord injury list restoration of arm and hand function as a top priority. FES helps restore movement using the user's own muscles, but does not produce accurate and repeatable movements necessary for many functional tasks. Robots can assist users in achieving accurate and repeatable movements, but often require bulky hardware to generate the necessary torques.

Measuring Torque Production with a Robotic Exoskeleton during Cervical Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects a large number of individuals in the United States. Unfortunately, traditional neurorehabilitation therapy leaves out clinical populations with limited motor function, such as severe stroke or spinal cord injury, as they are incapable of engaging in movement therapy. To increase the numbers of individuals who may be able to participate in robotic therapy, our long-term goal is to combine two validated interventions, transcutaneous spinal stimulation (TSS) and robotics, to elicit upper limb movements during rehabilitation following SCI.

Evaluation of Robotic-Assisted Carotid Artery Stenting in a Virtual Model Using Motion-Based Performance Metrics.

Purpose: Robotic-assisted carotid artery stenting (CAS) cases have been demonstrated with promising results. However, no quantitative measurements have been made to compare manual with robotic-assisted CAS. This study aims to quantify surgical performance using tool tip kinematic data and metrics of precision during CAS with manual and robotic control in an ex vivo model.

Comparing Manual and Robotic-Assisted Carotid Artery Stenting Using Motion-Based Performance Metrics.

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is a minimally invasive endovascular procedure used to treat carotid artery disease and is an alternative treatment option for carotid artery stenosis. Robotic assistance is becoming increasingly widespread in these procedures and can provide potential benefits over manual intervention, including decreasing peri- and post-operative risks associated with CAS. However, the benefits of robotic assistance in CAS procedures have not been quantitatively verified at the level of surgical tool motions.

A decade retrospective of medical robotics research from 2010 to 2020.

Robotics is a forward-looking discipline. Attention is focused on identifying the next grand challenges. In an applied field such as medical robotics, however, it is important to plan the future based on a clear understanding of what the research community has recently accomplished and where this work stands with respect to clinical needs and commercialization.

Haptic Feedback Based on Movement Smoothness Improves Performance in a Perceptual-Motor Task.

In many training scenarios, and in surgery in particular, feedback is provided to the trainee after the task has been performed, and the assessment is often qualitative in nature. In this paper, we demonstrate the effect of real-time objective performance feedback conveyed through a vibrotactile cue. Subjects performed a mirror-tracing task that requires coordination and dexterity similar in nature to that required in endovascular surgery.

Effect of Robotic Exoskeleton Motion Constraints on Upper Limb Muscle Synergies: A Case Study.

Evidence exists that changes in composition, timing, and number of muscle synergies can be correlated to functional changes resulting from neurological injury. These changes can also serve as an indicator of level of motor impairment. As such, synergy analysis can be used as an assessment tool for robotic rehabilitation.

Effect of Tactile Masking on Multi-Sensory Haptic Perception.

Multi-sensory wearable haptic devices are able to encode a variety of information using multiple haptic cues. However, simultaneous cues can be misperceived due to tactile masking effects. In this paper, we investigate the effect of masking on the perception of skin stretch and squeeze.

Single limb cable driven wearable robotic device for upper extremity movement support after traumatic brain injury.

Introduction: Recently, soft exosuits have been proposed for upper limb movement assistance, most supporting single joint movements. We describe the design of a portable wearable robotic device (WRD), "Armstrong," able to support three degrees-of-freedom of arm movements, and report on its feasibility for movement support of individuals with hemiparesis after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods: We introduce Armstrong and report on a pilot evaluation with two male individuals post-TBI (T1 and T2) and two healthy individuals.

The SE-AssessWrist for robot-aided assessment of wrist stiffness and range of motion: Development and experimental validation.

Introduction: Physical human-robot interaction offers a compelling platform for assessing recovery from neurological injury; however, robots currently used for assessment have typically been designed for the requirements of rehabilitation, not assessment. In this work, we present the design, control, and experimental validation of the SE-AssessWrist, which extends the capabilities of prior robotic devices to include complete wrist range of motion assessment in addition to stiffness evaluation.

Methods: The SE-AssessWrist uses a Bowden cable-based transmission in conjunction with series elastic actuation to increase device range of motion while not sacrificing torque output.

Neural activity modulations and motor recovery following brain-exoskeleton interface mediated stroke rehabilitation.

Brain-machine interfaces (BMI) based on scalp EEG have the potential to promote cortical plasticity following stroke, which has been shown to improve motor recovery outcomes. However, the efficacy of BMI enabled robotic training for upper-limb recovery is seldom quantified using clinical, EEG-based, and kinematics-based metrics. Further, a movement related neural correlate that can predict the extent of motor recovery still remains elusive, which impedes the clinical translation of BMI-based stroke rehabilitation.

Importance of Wrist Movement Direction in Performing Activities of Daily Living Efficiently.

The wrist is an essential component in performing the activities of daily living (ADLs) associated with a high quality of life. After a neurological disorder, motor function of the hand and wrist can be affected, reducing quality of life. Many experiments have illustrated that more wrist flexion/extension is required than radial/ulnar deviation when performing ADLs; however, how this result translates to efficiency in performing ADLs has not been investigated.

A Multisensory Approach to Present Phonemes as Language Through a Wearable Haptic Device.

Communication is an important part of our daily interactions; however, communication can be hindered, either through visual or auditory impairment, or because usual communication channels are overloaded. When standard communication channels are not available, our sense of touch offers an alternative sensory modality for transmitting messages. Multi-sensory haptic cues that combine multiple types of haptic sensations have shown promise for applications, such as haptic communication, that require large discrete cue sets while maintaining a small, wearable form factor.

In the Fundamentals of Endovascular and Vascular Surgery model motion metrics reliably differentiate competency.

Objective: The Fundamentals of Endovascular and Vascular Surgery, a curriculum that includes an endovascular model for skills testing, aims to differentiate between competent and noncompetent performers. The aim of our study was to further validate the model and to test its reliability in assessing the performance of endovascular trainees in an uncontrolled setting.

Methods: The model was tested exclusively in a virtual reality environment.