Single-Switch User Interface for Robot Arm to Help Disabled People Using RT-Middleware

We are developing a manipulator system in order to support disabled people with less muscle strength such as muscular dystrophy patients. Such a manipulator should have an easy user interface for the users to control it. But the supporting manipulator for disabled people cannot make large industry, so we should offer inexpensive manufacturing way. These type products are called “orphan products.” We report on the construction of the user interface system using RT-Middleware which is an open software platform for robot systems. Therefore other user interface components or robot components which are adapted to other symptoms can be replaced with the user interface without any change of the contents. A single switch and scanning menu panel are introduced as the input device for the manual control of the robot arm. The scanning menu panel is designed to perform various actions of the robot arm with the single switch. A manipulator simulation system was constructed to evaluate the input performance. Two muscular dystrophy patients tried our user interface to control the robot simulator and made comments. According to the comments by them, we made several improvements on the user interface. This improvements examples prepare inexpensive manufacturing way for orphan products

Assistive robotics: research challenges and ethics education initiatives

Assistive robotics is a fast growing field aimed at helping healthcarers in hospitals, rehabilitation centers and nursery homes, as well as empowering people with reduced mobility at home, so that they can autonomously fulfill their daily living activities. The need to function in dynamic human-centered environments poses new research challenges: robotic assistants need to have friendly interfaces, be highly adaptable and customizable, very compliant and intrinsically safe to people, as well as able to handle deformable materials. Besides technical challenges, assistive robotics raises also ethical defies, which have led to the emergence of a new discipline: Roboethics. Several institutions are developing regulations and standards, and many ethics education initiatives include contents on human-robot interaction and human dignity in assistive situations. In this paper, the state of the art in assistive robotics is briefly reviewed, and educational materials from a university course on Ethics in Social Robotics and AI focusing on the assistive context are presented.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Development And Human Performance Evaluation Of Control Modes Of An Exo-Skeletal Assistive Robotic Arm (esara)

This research was conducted to assist with functional tasks for a targeted group of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI); with C5 to C7 level of injury relating to upper extremity movement. The specific population was selected as the existing technology was either too expensive, too bulky or was unable to address their needs in regards to upper extremity mobility. In addition, no platforms allowed multimodal control options for customization or provided a methodology for this crucial evaluation. The motivation of this research was to provide a methodology for selecting the appropriate control of an assistive device based on the range of basic human movements that were possible by the population under consideration (button pushing, lever sliding, and speech). The main idea was to create an evaluation methodology based on a user platform with multiple modes of control. The controls were developed such that they would allow operation of the device with respect to the capabilities of SCI participants. Engineering advancements have taken assistive robotics to new dimensions. Technologies such as wheelchair robotics and myo-electronically controlled systems have opened up a wide range of new applications to assist people with physical disabilities. Similarly exo-skeletal limbs and body suits have provided new foundations from which technologies can aid function. Unfortunately, these devices have issues of usability, weight, and discomfort with donning. The Smart Assistive Reacher Arm (SARA) system, developed in this research, is a voice-activated, lightweight, mobile device that can be used when needed. SARA was built to help overcome daily reach challenges faced by individuals with limited arm and hand movement capability, such as people with cervical level 5-6 (C5-6) SCI. The functional reacher arm with voice control can be beneficial for this population. Comparison study with healthy participants and an SCI participant shows that, when using SARA, a person with SCI can perform simple reach and grasp tasks independently, without someone else\u27s help. This suggests that the interface is intuitive and can be easily used to a high-level of proficiency by a SCI individual. Using SARA, an Exo-Skeletal Assistive Robotic Arm (eSARA) was designed and built. eSARA platform had multiple modes of control namely, voice (ballistic mode with no extremity movement), button (ballistic mode with minor extremity movement) and slider (continuous mode with major extremity movement). eSARA was able to extend a total of 7 inches from its original position. The platform also provided lift assist for users that can potentially enable them to lift up to 20lbs.The purpose of eSARA was to build a platform that could help design a methodology to select the modality for a specific level of SCI injury or capability. The eSARA platform\u27s Human Machine Interface (HMI) was based on two experiments `Fine movement experiment\u27 and `Gross movement experiment\u27. These experiments tested the reaching, grasping and lifting ability of the platform. Two groups of healthy young adults were selected to perform the experiment. The first group, 12 healthy participants, had no movement restrictions. The second group, 6 Occupational Therapy students, that could mimic restrictions similar to those of a level 5-6 SCI individual. The experiment was also conducted by an SCI individual. The results of the 2 groups from both the experiments were compared with the results of the SCI participant. It was found that the SCI participant\u27s time performance to finish the tasks was comparable to the average of the healthy participants. It was concluded that the developed methodology and platforms could be used to evaluate the control modes needed in order to customize the system to the capabilities of SCI individual. . These platforms can be tested for a broader range of participants including participants with arthritis, recovering from paralysis and seniors with movement issues

DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF A NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION PLATFORM BETWEEN ASSISTIVE ROBOTS AND THEIR USERS

Assistive robotics will become integral to the everyday lives of a human population that is increasingly mobile, older, urban-centric and networked. The overwhelming demands on healthcare delivery alone will compel the adoption of assistive robotics. How will we communicate with such robots, and how will they communicate with us? This research makes the case for a relatively \u27artificial\u27 mode of nonverbal human-robot communication that is non-disruptive, non-competitive, and non-invasive human-robot communication that we envision will be willingly invited into our private and working lives over time. This research proposes a non-verbal communication (NVC) platform be conveyed by familiar lights and sounds, and elaborated here are experiments with our NVC platform in a rehabilitation hospital. This NVC is embedded into the Assistive Robotic Table (ART), developed within our lab, that supports the well-being of an expanding population of older adults and those with limited mobility. The broader aim of this research is to afford people robot-assistants that exist and interact with them in the recesses, rather than in the foreground, of their intimate and social lives. With support from our larger research team, I designed and evaluated several alternative modes of nonverbal robot communication with the objective of establishing a nonverbal, human-robot communication loop that evolves with users and can be modified by users. The study was conducted with 10-13 clinicians -- doctors and occupational, physical, and speech therapists -- at a local rehabilitation hospital through three iterative design and evaluation phases and a final usability study session. For our test case at a rehabilitation hospital, medical staff iteratively refined our NVC platform, stated a willingness to use our platform, and declared NVC as a desirable research path. In addition, these clinicians provided the requirements for human-robot interaction (HRI) in clinical settings, suggesting great promise for our mode of human-robot communication for this and other applications and environments involving intimate HRI

Design, construction and programming of a low cost, Open Source robot for assistive activities

The average age of developed countries is increasing and will tend to do so even more in the future. With a growing number of elderly people needing assistance, the demand for aid is rapidly outgrowing the supply available. In order to reverse this situation, personal robots capable of assisting people both emotionally and physically are being developed. These robots will be able to take care of the elders’ needs and being artificial helpers, enough of them can be fabricated to satisfy the demand. In this project an assistive robot prototype is developped. While being relatively small in size, it is programmed taking into account that the software will eventually be ported to a full-sized robot, and so it has the same capabilities. The Personal Domestic Service Droid (PD-SD) has a humanoid upper-body attached to a wheeled base. It has two arms with five degrees of freedom each which are used to grab objects or perform actions such as closing doors, while the differential-drive base enables it to maneuver in small spaces since it is capable of rotating in place. The PD-SD is controlled from an Android phone over a wireless network it creates. The application enables the user to control each of the arm actuators separately or in couples, moving symmetrical motors together. Additional controls include a directional pad to control the base motors, a button for closing or opening the grippers and a button to go back to the initial position. Finally, the top half of the screen is reserved to displaying video received from the on-board camera. On the robot itself, a Raspberry Pi computer acts as the brains. It enables the wifi network and receives the orders through it, as well as streaming video to the phone. All of the previous is scripted, so it completes the tasks automatically when turned on. When a connection between Android and Raspberry has been achieved the LCD will display a message informing the user of this, and will do the same when the connection is lost. The data received is sent through serial port to an Arduino microcontroller which will then parse the message and control the different actuators.La edad media de los países desarrollados está aumentando, y tenderá a hacerlo aún más en el futuro. Con un número cada vez más importante de personas mayores con necesidad de asistencia, la demanda de ayuda está sobrepasando rápidamente la oferta disponible. Para revertir la situación están siendo desarrollados robots capaces de asistir personas tanto emocional como físicamente. Estos robots satisfacerán las necesidades de los mayores, y siendo ayudantes artificiales se podrán construir los suficientes para satisfacer la demanda. En este proyecto se desarrolla un prototipo de robot asistencial. A pesar de su tamaño relati- vamente pequeño, está programado teniendo en cuenta que el código se portará más adelante a un robot de tamaño humano, y por tanto es capaz de realizar lo mismo. El Droide de Servicio Doméstico Personal (PD-SD por sus siglas en inglés) tiene un torso con brazos humanoide acoplado a una base con ruedas. Tiene dos brazos, cada uno con cinco grados de libertad que pueden ser utilizados para coger objetos o realizar acciones como cerrar puertas, mientras que la base móvil diferencial le permite maniobrar en espacios pequeños, ya que es capaz de rotar en el sitio. El PD-SD se controla desde un teléfono con Android a través de una red wifi. La aplicación permite el control individual o por parejas simétricas de los motores de los brazos. Además permite controlar la base mediante un pad direccional, tiene un botón para abrir o cerrar las pinzas y otro para llevar al robot a su posición inicial. Finalmente, la parte superior de la pantalla está reservada para reproducir el vídeo recibido de la cámara de abordo. En el propio robot un ordenador Raspberry Pi actúa de cerebro. Crea la red wifi a través de la cual recibe las órdenes y retransmite por ella el vídeo. Todo lo anterior está incluido en un script, con lo que se realiza automáticamente al encender el robot. Cuando se establece una conexión entre el teléfono y el ordenador la pantalla LCD informará de ello mediante un mensaje, y hará lo propio cuando la conexión se cierre. Los datos recibidos se reenviarán mediante el puerto serie a un Arduino, que los parseará y controlará los actuadores pertinentes.Ingeniería Electrónica Industrial y Automátic

A comparative analysis of haptic and EEG devices for evaluation and training of post-stroke patients within a virtual environment

Virtual Rehabilitation benefits from the usage of interfaces other than the mouse and keyboard, but also possess disadvantages: haptic peripherals can utilize the subject\u27s hand to provide position information or joint angles, and allow direct training for specific movements; but can also place unneeded strain on the limbs; brain-machine interfaces (BMI) can provide direct connections from the user to external hardware or software, but are currently inaccurate for the full diversity of user movements in daily life and require invasive surgery to implement. A compromise between these two extremes is a BMI that can be adapted to specific users, can function with a wide range of hardware and software, and is both noninvasive and convenient to wear for extended periods of time. A suitable BMI using Electroencephalography (EEG) input, known as the Emotiv EPOC™ by Emotiv Systems was evaluated using multiple input specializations and tested with an external robotic arm to determine if it was suitable for control of peripherals. Users were given a preset periodicity to follow in order to evaluate their ability to translate specific facial movements into commands as well as their responsiveness to change the robot arm\u27s direction. Within 2 weeks of training, they maintained or improved axial control of the robot arm, and reduced their overall performance time. Although the EPOC™ does require further testing and development, its adaptability to multiple software programs, users and peripherals allows it to serve both Virtual Rehabilitation and device control in the immediate future

The Nurosleeve, a User-Centered 3D Printed Hybrid Orthosis for Individuals With Upper Extremity Impairment

BACKGROUND: Active upper extremity (UE) assistive devices have the potential to restore independent functional movement in individuals with UE impairment due to neuromuscular diseases or injury-induced chronic weakness. Academically fabricated UE assistive devices are not usually optimized for activities of daily living (ADLs), whereas commercially available alternatives tend to lack flexibility in control and activation methods. Both options are typically difficult to don and doff and may be uncomfortable for extensive daily use due to their lack of personalization. To overcome these limitations, we have designed, developed, and clinically evaluated the NuroSleeve, an innovative user-centered UE hybrid orthosis. METHODS: This study introduces the design, implementation, and clinical evaluation of the NuroSleeve, a user-centered hybrid device that incorporates a lightweight, easy to don and doff 3D-printed motorized UE orthosis and a functional electrical stimulation (FES) component. Our primary goals are to develop a customized hybrid device that individuals with UE neuromuscular impairment can use to perform ADLs and to evaluate the benefits of incorporating the device into occupational therapy sessions. The trial is designed as a prospective, open-label, single-cohort feasibility study of eight-week sessions combined with at-home use of the device and implements an iterative device design process where feedback from participants and therapists informs design improvement cycles. RESULTS: All participants learned how to independently don, doff, and use the NuroSleeve in ADLs, both in clinical therapy and in their home environments. All participants showed improvements in their Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), which was the primary clinical trial outcome measure. Furthermore, participants and therapists provided valuable feedback to guide further development. CONCLUSIONS: Our results from non-clinical testing and clinical evaluation demonstrate that the NuroSleeve has met feasibility and safety goals and effectively improved independent voluntary function during ADLs. The study\u27s encouraging preliminary findings indicate that the NuroSleeve has met its technical and clinical objectives while improving upon the limitations of the existing UE orthoses owing to its personalized and flexible approach to hardware and firmware design. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04798378, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04798378 , date of registration: March 15, 2021