Special sessions

Abstract:

 Assistive devices for metabolic reduction are designed to work in active (powered) or passive manner. Studies on exoskeletons are mostly concentrated on active devices as they can increase the robustness of locomotion, which is crucial for impaired or elderly subjects, and the energy injection from actuators can generate high metabolic cost reduction in unimpaired people locomotion. A significant improvement in metabolic cost reduction was achieved by human-in-the-loop-optimization method. Active exosuits could reduce the metabolic cost of both running and walking. In the passive devices, metabolic reduction could be achieved by shifting the energy among different joints or storing and recoiling energy of the same joint over the gait cycle. In this regard, without energy injection in passive devices, improving walking efficiency – which is already an efficient activity because of the evolution over thousands of years – is more challenging than in active devices. However, passive devices provide advantages such as requiring less maintenance and being light and economic, as they have no actuators, batteries, electronic boards, or sensors. In 2015, Collins et al. developed a passive elastic ankle exoskeleton working in parallel to the calf muscles that could reduce the metabolic cost of walking by about 7% by assisting push-off. More recently, further investigations demonstrated that energy transfer between two legs in their unpowered exoskeleton could reduce energy consumption in running and walking by using biarticular elastic element. 

In this workshop we aim at questioning how passive exoskeletons (exosuits) can provide advantages in locomotion. What are the bioinspired features which can be beneficial in designing passive assistive devices? Why and how can biological musculoskeletal systems benefit from such assistance? What could be the advantages for elderly people and patients? What are the challenges and opportunities for the future? 

This special session is organized in collaboration with the COST Action CA16116 “Wearable Robots for Augmentation, Assistance or Substitution of Human Motor Functions” http://wearablerobots.eu/ 

Abstract:

 Wearable robotic devices (e.g. lower limb exoskeletons, powered prothesis) have gained extensive interest in the last decades, demonstrating that they can help people with motor impairments to stand and walk again. One of the ongoing challenges in these devices and an often-heard wish of their users is to assist in balance recovery and decrease the reliance on external support (e.g. crutches or canes for exoskeleton users). 

Recent research studies are developing balance control strategies in different directions and complexity to improve patients’ stability in both static and dynamic conditions: extending control strategies from humanoids, using bio-inspired approaches (neuromuscular model) and/or implementing simple heuristic methods. However, the research is still limited on how the users’ respond to the provided balance support: Do humans really cooperate with the device? Do control strategies need to be human-like for better cooperation? Which approach results in the best balance recovery, complex/intelligent or simple/predictable? 

In this Special Session, we bring together researchers and experts in balance recovery using different wearable devices to support diverse populations (e.g. spinal cord injury, amputees, elderly, stroke). Speakers coming from both academia and industry will provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art in control development for balance support using wearable robotic devices (i.e. exoskeletons, prothesis, gyro backpack). We will provide a better understanding about balance in assisting devices to eventually improve human-robot interaction, detection of loss of balance, and control of balance recovery. 

NB. In case, there will again be a cooperation between the Cost Action on Wearable Robots and WeRob, we would like to mark this session as Cost Action session for WG1 on Foundational Sciences. 

Abstract:

Prosthesis is one of the most powerful tools to support the amputees in daily life, working, playing sports and so on. Many of advanced prosthesis has been used from the passive one to multi-DOF active control prosthesis.  Instead of these advances of the prosthesis, there are still many problems, especially the interface between prosthesis and humans, and between prosthesis and environment. What is the appropriate control architecture suitable to move smoothly synchronizing with the users’ motions? What kinds of sensory signal are useful and how should be feedback to the users? By overcoming these questions, we should create the active and comfortable life for all amputees with prosthesis.

In this special session, we want to discuss how we can provide the active life for all amputees including the mechanisms of prosthesis design,  control architecture of the active prosthesis, human movement and bio-signal measurements for prosthesis control, appropriate sensor signal and training methods for prosthesis use.

Abstract:

As a developer of a wearable robot, you’ve probably wondered which rules you have to comply with to test your device or bring it to the market and what that means in practice. This workshop will provide information and discussion on these topics. Several presentations will address regulatory aspects involved in getting a wearable robotic solution to the market.

The main objective of this workshop is to provide information on regulatory aspects that wearable robot developers have to deal with when bringing their product to the market, and explain the pivotal role of safety in these processes. In addition, we aim to broaden the perspective beyond ‘regulatory’ safety, by proposing and discussing the interconnection between safety, performance and usability, legal and ethical aspects. The workshop will target researchers and developers of wearable robots in both the industrial as well as the healthcare domain.

The session will combine several perspectives on the topic, such as relevant legislation, the pivotal role of safety, which procedures are involved and to what extent these differ between the industry and healthcare perspective. To make this rather theoretical information more concrete, we will present an overview of incidents (i.e., adverse events) that have happened with wearable and rehabilitation robots for gait, and discuss possible causes and solutions to avoid these incidents to occur in the future. Following this, we will describe which tools are available to help you find your way in safety-related aspects for wearable robots, as developed by the H2020 COVR project,

including identifying relevant standards, risk assessment, safety assessment, testing protocols and testing equipment/facilities. Next, we will address the relation between safety of a wearable robot and its performance (relevant indicators and how to measure), which is the topic of H2020 Eurobench project. Especially in wearable robots, where the user is in continuous close contact with the robot, these concepts have a close interrelation and cannot be seen separately, and possibly extends to usability.

This special session is organized in collaboration with the COST Action CA16116 “Wearable Robots for Augmentation, Assistance or Substitution of Human Motor Functions” http://wearablerobots.eu/

Abstract:

After worldwide efforts over the past decade to develop exoskeletons to support workers in heavy work, we can now see specific exoskeletons, mainly passive back- and arm-support exoskeletons entering some work places. However, further upscaling of use of exoskeletons across multiple sectors of industry still meets barriers. One of these is the lack of knowledge about the effects that an exoskeletons might have in a specific situation prior to adoption. Clearly, the testing of exoskeletons in labs and in working environments may provide useful data.

Exoskeleton testing may cover various items of relevance for the exoskeleton adopter. These include: (1) health and sick leave, (2) job quality: work load, fatigue and discomfort, (3) acceptance and usability, and (4) effects on performance: productivity and quality. These items all together may shed some light on the business case.

The main aim to apply a back-support or arm-support exoskeleton could be to reduce low back pain or shoulder pain and related sick leave rates. Such health and sick leave effects can only be defined in epidemiological studies with large numbers of controls and experimental (Randomized Controlled Trials). Those seem not feasible yet and thus one often measures mechanical or physiological variables that are assumed to play a role in the etiology of the complaints, e.g. kinematics, joint torques, compressive forces, and muscle activation levels. Subjective data on local perceived discomfort or effort are often measured in parallel to these objective measurements.

The session will comprise papers on various exoskeletons, testing methods and testing variables. Results will be presented. The relevance of the methods, variables and outcomes will be discussed.

Abstract:

 Introduction: Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) have adverse secondary medical and quality of life changes as a result of immobilization. A person with SCI who has completed rehabilitation after injury and is unable to ambulate receives a wheelchair as standard of care for mobility. Powered exoskeletons are a technology that has become available (mainly for research purposes) in the USA since 2010. They offer an alternate form of mobility by providing an external framework for support and computer controlled motorized hip and knee joints to assist with standing and overground ambulation. Restoration of ambulatory function and the potential for the subsequent improvement of health has long been a goal of SCI rehabilitation research. The use of powered exoskeletons may offer a partial solution to this problem. Three studies (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02314221, NCT02658656, NCT02324322) have been underway to determine the safety and efficacy of the use of these devices in chronic SCI. 

Methods: Data from these three clinical trials will be reviewed. In the populaiton with chronic SCI: 50 participants have been completed for 36 sessions, 160 participants have been randomized to a four-month home-use trial, and 12 participants have completed 100 sessions. 

Purpose: The goals of this Special Session are to report the findings from these trials as evidenced-based data on the following topics: 1) Eligibility criteria for screening successes and failures. An emphasis on the importance of bone mineral density and fracture screening, case reports of fractures and serious advers events from these studies will be presented and discussed; 2) Training approaches, number of sessions and recommended modifications for the devices; 3) Biomechanical attributes, walking and mobility skills achieved and characteristics of successful users; and 4) Systemic immune and medical/health responses to overground walking in these devices. 

Abstract:

Human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are central for establishing a natural interplay between humans and wearable robots such as exoskeleton and bionic limbs. The need for robust and intuitive HMI has  becoming increasingly central with the development of new classes of exoskeletons that are soft or flexible. Current HMIs suffer from limitations hindering wearables robots’ translation to the real world. State of the art HMIs are based on model-free (e.g. regression) algorithms that cannot robustly generalize beyond training conditions. Moreover, model-free techniques regard the human as a black box, thereby hiding the mechanisms underlying human movement and machine interaction. An alternative approach is that of building mechanistic models of the human body. Human modelling offers the unique opportunity to open a window inside the neuromusculoskeletal system of the user. Theses information can then be use by wearables robot to assist the user.

In this special session, we first present the challenge that soft exosuit present for HMIs. We will also present the state of the art in neuromechanics based control of wearables robot as well as how neuromechanics can help us to create better HMI for rehabilitation and finally its possible impact in healthcare.

Abstract:

Wearable Robots for motion assistance have been explored for use in industrial, military and clinical applications for a long time now. While those field each have specific requirements and challenges, all share common as challenge the possibility of transparent and efficient coupling between the robot and the wearer under different environments. Conventional techniques for movement restoration functions of daily living activities, are mainly based on the application of basic concepts such promotion of neural plasticity, strengthening of the remaining muscles, and learning of motor compensation strategies, all mediated through the combination of various types of therapeutic exercises and devices adapted to the patient’s evolution. Multiple sensor modalities and intelligent data processing methods have been proposed to tackle the challenge of user-friendly, robust and autonomous behavior. Overcoming this limitation would improve user safety and eventually allow versatile performance in unstructured environments. This Special Session will present and discuss recent approaches and strategies for establishment of efficient human-robot coupling paradigms for assisting daily living activities. This especially includes advances on the use of neural, biomechanical and environmental signals for control of robotic exoskeletons, the use of combination of neuromuscular stimulation and robotic exoskeletons to provide either the needed assistance for frail population or the support for human augmentation at work.

This special session is organized in collaboration with’ by the COST Action CA16116 “Wearable Robots for Augmentation, Assistance or Substitution of Human Motor Functions” http://wearablerobots.eu/

Abstract:

The goal of this special session is to follow on the 2018 special session on soft wearable robots and highlight recent and growing efforts in this field, with special focus on their application in neurorehabilitation and potential use of these devices in industrial applications. Although wearable assistive devices based on rigid structures have shown their potential benefit in many areas, their everyday use is limited by their weight, energy consumption, comfort and wearability.

Soft technologies represent a possible solution to these issues. However, by nature, they present performance limitations, and current applications are restricted to low to moderate levels of assistance while higher level of support still typically requires the use of hard exoskeletons. In the rehabilitation area, compliant materials for soft sensing and actuation hold promise for monitoring and assisting light impairment and even for prolonging independent living in other pre-frail elderly. This broad scope implies a possibly huge scale of application. In industrial applications, soft technologies would substantially increase worker acceptance which is one of the main obstacles for the introduction of exoskeletons in real world industrial applications.

The implementation of soft technologies requires not only different technical solutions (design, actuation, sensing, integration, control, etc.) but also a different approach. The relatively small amount of assistance provided by the soft exoskeleton has to be used efficiently in combination with the movements and functionality of the user. Another need is solutions for remote monitoring of function and safety of exoskeletons being used ‘unsupervised’ in public.

The contributors of this special session will have the opportunity to share their experiences and latest results in the area of soft wearable robots and exosuits, and discuss possible new strategies that can be adopted from materials and components up to the whole wearable system.

Abstract:

 Our poor understanding of how wearable robotics influence the underlying physiology and musculoskeletal mechanics of the user limits optimal design. One of the main problems is that multiple important evaluation criteria, such as joint loading and muscle energetics, cannot easily be measured experimentally. Therefore, we are restricted to crude evaluation measures which limit the current understanding. Musculoskeletal modelling enables the estimation of evaluation criteria that are difficult to measure using mathematical modelling and simulation. This facilitates a more in-depth evaluation of device performance and can provide more insight in the interaction between wearable robotic devices and human physiology. Furthermore, musculoskeletal modelling has the potential to further optimize the design and control of wearable robotic devices in simulations. However, this method requires accurate models of the human neuromusculoskeletal system as well as its interaction with the wearable robotic devices. In this session, we will discuss the current state-of-the-art in musculoskeletal modelling techniques to evaluate and optimize the performance of wearable robotic devices. 

Abstract:

Wearable Robotics has become a multidisciplinary field in which researchers are joining different approaches to achieve a common goal: assisting people (both in industry and rehabilitation), but also acquiring information from their behaviour and performance in working-industrial environments.

This special session aims to discuss the application and integration of new methods, systems or algorithms, to digitalize and analyse human-related data while using wearable technology, as well as the usage of artificial intelligence approaches into the analysis of these data. Ergonomic-related systems which take into account wearable technology are also welcome.

This special session expects to join both researchers and engineers from IT, ergonomics, mechanical engineering, data science, among other application domains, as well as experiences of application of these technologies in the field.

Abstract:

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is the most widespread occupational-related illness in the EU.

In the last years, exoskeletons have been proposed as tools to support workers in strenuous or repetitive tasks, with the goal to reduce the occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the long term. Today, different exoskeletons are available in the market and many large manufacturing companies are piloting their introduction in their plants. In this scenario, a relevant milestone was set in 2019 by Toyota, which made the Levitate AIRFRAME™ mandatory personal protective equipment for 24 workers of the Toyota‘s Woodstock plant.

Yet, the introduction of exoskeletons in industry still lacks standardized safety regulations, validated testing procedures, and scientific studies demonstrating their efficacy and effectiveness.

Usually exoskeletons have been assessed on very specific outcomes. The most common is the quantification of the reduction of the activity of muscles which are intended to be supported by the exoskeleton. However, collateral effects, such as the overloading of antagonist muscles, postural strains, and modified kinematics must also be taken into account together with worker’s acceptance, to guarantee an overall system acceptability and usability in a long-term perspective. Today, the big challenge is to assess all effects of an exoskeleton in a holistic approach.

Moreover, in the industry context, ergonomics evaluation methods (e.g. EWAS, OCRA, RULA, REBA, HARM, NIOSH et al.) are usually adopted to simplify and standardize the assessment of physical loading in workplaces. To implement exoskeleton programs in an industrial scenario, practitioners need to access synthesized knowledge on the efficacy, effectiveness, and sustainability of exoskeletons as an ergonomic intervention. However only few studies evaluated the integration of the use of an exoskeleton device on the ergonomic risk assessment of a workplace and, today, exoskeletons cannot be evaluated using the already existing assessment methods used in the industry. Therefore, ergonomic risk assessment tools should be modified/developed to facilitate the use of exoskeletons in industrial production systems.

This special session aims to discuss these challenges highlighting the state of the art and the perspectives putting together developers, end users and ergonomists.

Abstract:

Despite being one of the earliest application field targeted by modern exoskeleton research (embodied for instance by the emblematic DARPA-financed initiative at the beginning of this century), the military application field has experienced a much more limited permeation of exoskeleton technologies in real use-cases than in the medical and industrial sectors. This is mainly due to the often-extreme requirements regarding performance, usability, reliability as well as resistance to environment conditions that characterize most of them. This special session will highlight some of the current challenges, while presenting a panel of ongoing research initiatives aimed at developing practical exoskeleton systems able to support soldiers in different activities, including military logistics, loaded march and decontamination/rescue with CBRN suits.

Abstract:

Industrial exoskeletons, under the concept of “Ergonomics 4.0”, have appeared to make worker´s jobs easier and safer.
An exoskeleton may be an excellent option when a technical alternative that solves the ergonomic problem does not exist, or it is not feasible. It may reduce significantly the effort and physical load required to the worker. Consequently, it may be able to reduce fatigue and the likelihood of suffering musculoskeletal disorders.
However, similarly to any new work device, the introduction of an exoskeleton implies changes that generate an impact on the user, on their colleagues and on their work environment. It will affect the overall performance of the company. In fact, the ultimate implementation of an exoskeleton in the workplace is not easy.

Leading companies that have had experience in the implementation of exoskeletons in their production plants, and exoskeletons suppliers working in the field, will share their experiences in this special session.
It will be discussed:
– Economic sectors in which exoskeletons are being used at present (automotive industry, logistics…)
– Other sectors that are considering exoskeletons as a feasible option to ergonomically improve their workplaces.
– For what type of tasks or activities they are using the exoskeletons. What it is working and what it is not.
– The worker’s point of view. What do workers that have been working with exoskeletons think?
– Pros and cons. Learning from companies´ experiences.

Abstract:

Wearable robots are achieving impressive levels of functionality and reliability. In the process of bringing these devices to the market, benchmarks are necessary to prove the achievement of given levels of performance, usability and safety. This process is strongly domain-specific, given the different needs and requirements of target users. Several international initiatives are developing methods, devices, toolkits, and best-practices to guide developers in this intricated field.
This workshop aims the bring together researchers, developers, end-users and any other relevant stakeholders interested in contributing to this global effort, towards the common goal of building up a unified benchmarking methodology for wearable robotic systems. Contribution will be focused on the following topics:
• Human-robot interaction
• User experience / Human factors
• Gait and balance analysis, with or without wearable robotics technologies
• Reproducible metrics and experiments
• Testbeds replicating real-life situations
• AI algorithms to analyse and extract features
• Database of human/robot motion
• Ergonomics
• Lower limb and/or upper limb functions
• Simulation approaches to predict performance

Abstract:

Creating a successful company is always hard but creating a successful company in an emerging field like the Wearable Robotics (WRs) is a real challenge. Indeed, building a successful company is an arduous recipe where you need to combine different ingredients that are not only technical but include economical, legal and social aspects. Therefore, the motivation of this special session is to collect together different contributions that could support in the most critical phase of a young company (from the creation until 3-5 years), showing innovative business models, funding opportunities, tools and strategies for protecting Intellectual Properties as well as real experiences of companies that are already on the market.

Topics:Below, a list of topics that could be covered by contributions:
– funding strategies in private/public sector, also showing use-cases
– tools to protect Intellectual Properties and trends in the Wearable Robotics field
– experiences of real entrepreneurs working in the field of Interactive Robotics
– market trends of the Wearable Robotics field as well as other Interactive Robotics fields
– EU initiatives for robotic companies
– Business models applied to start-up companies