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European Assistive Technology Research Themes

European Assistive Technology Research Themes. Rachel Cowan, Dave Reinkensmeyer, Mary Rodgers. Overview. Define Assistive Technology European Assistive Technology Research Research Gaps, Challenges & Opportunities. Assistive Technology Defined. Assistive Technology (AT) Defined.

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European Assistive Technology Research Themes

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  1. European Assistive Technology Research Themes Rachel Cowan, Dave Reinkensmeyer, Mary Rodgers

  2. Overview • Define Assistive Technology • European Assistive Technology Research • Research Gaps, Challenges & Opportunities

  3. Assistive Technology Defined

  4. Assistive Technology (AT) Defined • Cook & Hussy, 2002 “…devices, services, strategies, and practices that …ameliorate the problems faced by individuals with disabilities.” • Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (PL 100-407) "...products, devices or equipment, . . . that maintain, increase or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities..."

  5. What do these devices have in common? --- Assistive Technology?

  6. Technology Approaches to Improve Mobility • Repair body structure/function • Limb regeneration • Combination therapies • Rehabilitate the body structure/function • Enhanced Therapeutic robotics

  7. Technology Approaches to Improve Mobility • Replace missing/impaired body structures/functions • Prosthetics • Wheelchairs • Exoskeletons • Augment/Support impaired body/functions • Crutches, canes • Exoskeletons • Hearing Aids • Neuroprosthesis • Shared Control Systems (Human – Device)

  8. Assistive vs. RehabilitativeTechnology • Assistive • Helps person execute a functional activity in daily life • User operated • Rehabilitative/Therapeutic • One modality in an overall rehabilitation plan • Not intended for use in daily activities • Clinician operated

  9. European Assistive Technology Research Themes

  10. European AT Research Themes • Assistive Technology Control • Assistive Technology Device Refinement • Humanoid Robotics as Assistive Technology?

  11. AT Control Research

  12. INSTITUT FOR SUNDHEDSVIDENSKAB OG TEKNOLOGIAalborg Universityaalborg, DenmarK DEPT. OF HEALTH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

  13. Communikation and prosthesis control for disabled – Tongue Control Research collaboration and Spinn-out • Invisible • Hands-off • Mobile • Wireless • Day and night use • All round

  14. AMYOAdvanced Myoelectric Control of Prosthetic Systems Control of Otto Bock Michelangelo Hand Long-term objective: Develop a closed-loop control system for >2 DOF prosthetic hand devices (Otto Bock, DE) based on efferent signal recordings from peripheral nerve using intrafasiscular electrodes • Interface with peripheral nerve • Auto-selection of appropriate grip

  15. InstitutfürAutomatik (ETH) Sensory Motor Systems Laboratory Zurich, Switzerland Professor Robert Reiner (Zurich)

  16. Compensatory Limb Motion Estimation • Powered Knee Control • Estimate movement of missing limb from healthy leg • Allows stair ascent with leading leg

  17. Assistive Active Assistive Devices Hans Rietman, PhD, Enschede

  18. Intelligent Knee Prosthesis • Problem: Swing phase control of artificial knees is too weak and too stiff. • Solution: microprocessor controlled knee with adaptive compensation. ------------------------------------------------ • Next step: Reflexive control integrated with physiological motor control. • Main goal: A knee prosthesis with energy storage/transfer and controllable stiffness/torque.

  19. Myoelectric Forearm Prosthesis • Problem: Limited use clinically due to lack of adequate control and lack of sensory feedback. • Solution: Use grid of 40 surface EMG electrodes to map muscle activity on residual stump to 10 prosthesis movements using 5 degrees of freedom. • Next step: Provide sensory information via vibrotactile feedback.

  20. Robotic Wheelchair Assistant – Prof. etienne Burdet, Imperial college

  21. Shared Control of Assistive Technology • A core need is an intelligent sharing of control between user and device • Wheelchair programmed to follow specific paths • -assumes static environment • User can deviate when needed • Allows response to dynamic conditions • Illustrates trend toward incorporation of sensors on assistive technology, to make the technology intelligent

  22. AT Device Refinement

  23. Multiple degree of freedom robotic hand • Incorporated touch sensation • Interfaced with Peripheral Nerve ScuolaSuperioreSant’Anna

  24. Underactuated Hand • 1 low power motor • 1 sensor Delft University of TechnologyDelft, The Netherlands

  25. Humanoid Robotics as Assistive Technology? Why are Humanoid Robotics Pursued? A humanoid Robot will fit everywhere a human fit (prof. Inoue, Japan) Meanwhile, spin off will bring us to machines adapted to humans

  26. Humanoid Robotics Development - Discovery purposes Delft University of Technology Prof.dr.ir. Pieter P. Jonker (Enschede)

  27. Assistive, interactive robotics in home environment • Emotions, responsive ScuolaSuperioreSant’Anna

  28. Companionable Project

  29. Research Gaps, Challenges & Opportunities Assistive Technology to Improve Mobility

  30. Gaps – Challenges - Opportunities • Assistive Technology draws heavily from multiple fields • Thus limited (or facilitated) by existing technology and existing knowledge • Assistive technology improvements will occur only if the source technology and knowledge improve

  31. What do these devices have in common? --- Assistive Technology?

  32. Questions, Comments, Thoughts

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