Overcoming barriers and increasing independence: service robots for elderly and disabled people

This paper discusses the potential for service robots to overcome barriers and increase independence of elderly and disabled people. It includes a brief overview of the existing uses of service robots by disabled and elderly people and advances in technology which will make new uses possible and provides suggestions for some of these new applications. The paper also considers the design and other conditions to be met for user acceptance. It also discusses the complementarity of assistive service robots and personal assistance and considers the types of applications and users for which service robots are and are not suitable

Intuitive human interactive with an arm robot for severely handicapped people - A one click approach.

International audienceAssistance to disabled people is still a domain in which a lot of progress needs to be done. The more severe the handicap is, more complex are the devices, implying increased efforts to simplify the interactions between man and these devices. In this document we propose a solution to reduce the interaction between a user and a robotic arm. The system is equipped with two cameras. One is fixed on the top of the wheelchair (eye-to-hand) and the other one is mounted on the end effector of the robotic arm (eye-in-hand). The two cameras cooperate to reduce the grasping task to one click. The method is generic, it does not require marks on the object, geometrical model or the database. It thus provides a tool applicable to any kind of graspable object. The paper first gives an overview of the existing grasping tools for disabled people and proposes a novel approach toward an intuitive human machine interaction

Functional evaluation of ASIBOT: A new approach on portable robotic system for disabled people

In this work, an innovative robotic solution for human care and assistance is presented. Our main objective is to develop a new concept of portable robot able to support the elderly and those people with different levels of disability during the execution of daily tasks, such as washing their face or hands, brushing their teeth, combing their hair, eating, drinking, and bringing objects closer, among others. Our prototype, ASIBOT, is a five degrees of freedom (DOF) self-contained manipulator that includes the control system and electronic equipment on board. The main advantages of the robot are its light weight, about 11 kg for a 1.3 m reach, its autonomy, and its ability to move between different points (docking stations) of the room or from the environment to a wheelchair and vice versa, which facilitates its supportive functions. The functional evaluation of ASIBOT is addressed in this paper. For this purpose the robotic arm is tested in different experiments with disabled people, gathering and discussing the results according to a methodology that allows us to assess users' satisfaction.The research leading to these results has received funding from the RoboCity2030- II-CM project (S2009/DPI-1559), funded by Programas de Actividades I+D en la Comunidad de Madrid and cofunded by Structural Funds of the EU.Publicad

Human-Mechanical system interaction in Virtual Reality

The present work aims to show the great potential of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies in the field of Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). Indeed, it is foreseeable that in not too distant future cooperating robots will be increasingly present in human environments. Many authors actually believe that after the current information revolution, we will witness the so-called "robotics revolution", with the spread of increasingly intelligent and autonomous robots capable of moving into our own environments. Since these machines must be able to interact with human beings in a safe way, new design tools for the study of Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) are needed. The author believes that VR is an ideal design tool for the study of the interaction between humans and automatic machines, since it allows the designers to interact in real-time with virtual robotic systems and to evaluate different control algorithms, without the need of physical prototypes. This also shields the user from any risk related to the physical experimentation. However, VR technologies have also a more immediate application in the field of HRI, such as the study of usability of interfaces for real-time controlled robots. In fact, these robots, such as robots for microsurgery or even "teleoperated" robots working in a hostile environments, are already quite common. VR allows the designers to evaluate the usability of such interfaces by relating their physical input with a virtual output. In particular, the author has developed a new software application aimed at simulating automatic robots and, more generally, mechanical systems in a virtual environment. The user can interact with one or more virtual manipulators and also control them in real-time by means of several input devices. Finally, an innovative approach to the modeling and control of a humanoid robot with high degree of redundancy is discussed. VR implementation of a virtual humanoid is useful for the study of both humanoid robots and human beings

Design and Development of Assistive Robots for Close Interaction with People with Disabilities

People with mobility and manipulation impairments wish to live and perform tasks as independently as possible; however, for many tasks, compensatory technology does not exist, to do so. Assistive robots have the potential to address this need. This work describes various aspects of the development of three novel assistive robots: the Personal Mobility and Manipulation Appliance (PerMMA), the Robotic Assisted Transfer Device (RATD), and the Mobility Enhancement Robotic Wheelchair (MEBot). PerMMA integrates mobility with advanced bi-manual manipulation to assist people with both upper and lower extremity impairments. The RATD is a wheelchair mounted robotic arm that can lift higher payloads and its primary aim is to assist caregivers of people who cannot independently transfer from their electric powered wheelchair to other surfaces such as a shower bench or toilet. MEBot is a wheeled robot that has highly reconfigurable kinematics, which allow it to negotiate challenging terrain, such as steep ramps, gravel, or stairs. A risk analysis was performed on all three robots which included a Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and a Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) to identify potential risks and inform strategies to mitigate them. Identified risks or PerMMA include dropping sharp or hot objects. Critical risks identified for RATD included tip over, crush hazard, and getting stranded mid-transfer, and risks for MEBot include getting stranded on obstacles and tip over. Lastly, several critical factors, such as early involvement of people with disabilities, to guide future assistive robot design are presented

Tecnologia assistiva e envelhecimento ativo segundo profissionais atuantes em grupos de convivência

Objective: To identify the knowledge of professionals about assistive technology and its importance in the elderly’s life. Method: Exploratory descriptive qualitative study performed with professionals working in three community groups in the city of Cajazeiras (state of Paraíba/PB). Data were collected through an interview with semi-structured script and analyzed according to the Content Analysis Technique. Results: Participation of 45 professionals. Four categories were identified, namely: Knowledge about assistive technology; Professionals’ lack of knowledge about available assistive technologies for implementation in work with the elderly; Use of assistive technology by the elderly; Impact on professional practices after implementation of assistive technology. Conclusion: Some of professionals have knowledge about assistive technology and others make a wrong interpretation by confusing it with working instruments. In spite of the positive impact of assistive technology on certain professionals’ practice, there is need for training in order to provide a better use of assistive technologies by the elderly.Objective: To identify the knowledge of professionals about assistive technology and its importance in the elderly’s life. Method: Exploratory descriptive qualitative study performed with professionals working in three community groups in the city of Cajazeiras (state of Paraíba/PB). Data were collected through an interview with semi-structured script and analyzed according to the Content Analysis Technique. Results: Participation of 45 professionals. Four categories were identified, namely: Knowledge about assistive technology; Professionals’ lack of knowledge about available assistive technologies for implementation in work with the elderly; Use of assistive technology by the elderly; Impact on professional practices after implementation of assistive technology. Conclusion: Some of professionals have knowledge about assistive technology and others make a wrong interpretation by confusing it with working instruments. In spite of the positive impact of assistive technology on certain professionals’ practice, there is need for training in order to provide a better use of assistive technologies by the elderly

Exploring the need of an assistive robot to support reading process: A pilot study

Reading is one of the main activities that readers are immensely practicing during their daily lives and this activity is accompanied with some challenges that may cause disengagement during the process.Recently, assistive robotics technologies have shown extensive powerful effects in assisting its users to tackle various domain specific problems.From that perspective, the main goal of this pilot study is to investigate the problems that readers encounter during reading process.In addition, it aims to probe the need of an assistive robot that makes reading process less challenging.A questionnaire survey was distributed to 100 students at Universiti Utara Malaysia and the analysis of the results showed that an assistive robot is promising to support reading process. Similarly, this study detailed the embodiment and the design aspects that need to be applied while designing an assistive reading robot

State-of-the-Art Sensors for Remote Care of People with Dementia during a Pandemic: A Systematic Review

In the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of people diagnosed with dementia. With diminishing public health and social care resources, there is substantial need for assistive technology-based devices that support independent living. However, existing devices may not fully meet these needs due to fears and uncertainties about their use, educational support, and finances. Further challenges have been created by COVID-19 and the need for improved safety and security. We have performed a systematic review by exploring several databases describing assistive technologies for dementia and identifying relevant publications for this review. We found there is significant need for appropriate user testing of such devices and have highlighted certifying bodies for this purpose. Given the safety measures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this review identifies the benefits and challenges of existing assistive technologies for people living with dementia and their caregivers. It also provides suggestions for future research in these areas

Challenges in Inclusiveness for People with Disabilities within STEM Learning and Working Environments

This report is a reflection on the necessity for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the field of STEM and the different methods and processes that need to be revised or implemented to achieve this goal. It will delve into further detail about the challenges facing PWDs in STEM through interview anecdotes and survey results. Each solution offered will be accompanied by thorough research and support. Policymakers, teachers and students may use these recommendations to break down barriers to STEM careers and build a more inclusive future