https://biodesign.seas.harvard.edu/files/biodesignlab/files/2015_-_polygerinos_-_soft_robotic_glove_for_combined_assistance_and_at-home_rehabilitation.pdf

Soft robotic glove for combined assistance and at-home rehabilitation

Bipedal locomotion is among the most difficult challenges in control engineering. Most books treat the subject from a quasi-static perspective, overlooking the hybrid nature of bipedal mechanics. Feedback Control of Dynamic Bipedal Robot Locomotion is the first book to present a comprehensive and mathematically sound treatment of feedback design for achieving stable, agile, and efficient locomotion in bipedal robots.In this unique and groundbreaking treatise, expert authors lead you systematically through every step of the process, including:Mathematical modeling of walking and running gaits in planar robotsAnalysis of periodic orbits in hybrid systemsDesign and analysis of feedback systems for achieving stable periodic motionsAlgorithms for synthesizing feedback controllersDetailed simulation examplesExperimental implementations on two bipedal test bedsThe elegance of the authors' approach is evident in the marriage of control theory and mechanics, uniting control-based presentation and mathematical custom with a mechanics-based approach to the problem and computational rendering. Concrete examples and numerous illustrations complement and clarify the mathematical discussion. A supporting Web site offers links to videos of several experiments along with MATLAB® code for several of the models. This one-of-a-kind book builds a solid understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of truly dynamic locomotion in planar bipedal robots.

/pdf/feedback-control-of-dynamic-bipedal-robot-locomotion-2pz7pbjgsi.pdf

Feedback Control of Dynamic Bipedal Robot Locomotion

An approach to the online learning of Takagi-Sugeno (TS) type models is proposed in the paper. It is based on a novel learning algorithm that recursively updates TS model structure and parameters by combining supervised and unsupervised learning. The rule-base and parameters of the TS model continually evolve by adding new rules with more summarization power and by modifying existing rules and parameters. In this way, the rule-base structure is inherited and up-dated when new data become available. By applying this learning concept to the TS model we arrive at a new type adaptive model called the Evolving Takagi-Sugeno model (ETS). The adaptive nature of these evolving TS models in combination with the highly transparent and compact form of fuzzy rules makes them a promising candidate for online modeling and control of complex processes, competitive to neural networks. The approach has been tested on data from an air-conditioning installation serving a real building. The results illustrate the viability and efficiency of the approach. The proposed concept, however, has significantly wider implications in a number of fields, including adaptive nonlinear control, fault detection and diagnostics, performance analysis, forecasting, knowledge extraction, robotics, behavior modeling.

/pdf/an-approach-to-online-identification-of-takagi-sugeno-fuzzy-1moixy52a1.pdf

An approach to online identification of Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy models

Organ printing can be defined as layer-by-layer additive robotic biofabrication of three-dimensional functional living macrotissues and organ constructs using tissue spheroids as building blocks. The microtissues and tissue spheroids are living materials with certain measurable, evolving and potentially controllable composition, material and biological properties. Closely placed tissue spheroids undergo tissue fusion - a process that represents a fundamental biological and biophysical principle of developmental biology-inspired directed tissue self-assembly. It is possible to engineer small segments of an intraorgan branched vascular tree by using solid and lumenized vascular tissue spheroids. Organ printing could dramatically enhance and transform the field of tissue engineering by enabling large-scale industrial robotic biofabrication of living human organ constructs with "built-in" perfusable intraorgan branched vascular tree. Thus, organ printing is a new emerging enabling technology paradigm which represents a developmental biology-inspired alternative to classic biodegradable solid scaffold-based approaches in tissue engineering.

Organ Printing: Tissue Spheroids as Building Blocks

Planar, underactuated, biped walkers form an important domain of applications for hybrid dynamical systems. This paper presents the design of exponentially stable walking controllers for general planar bipedal systems that have one degree-of-freedom greater than the number of available actuators. The within-step control action creates an attracting invariant set - a two-dimensional zero dynamics submanifold of the full hybrid model $whose restriction dynamics admits a scalar linear time-invariant return map. Exponentially stable periodic orbits of the zero dynamics correspond to exponentially stabilizable orbits of the full model. A convenient parameterization of the hybrid zero dynamics is imposed through the choice of a class of output functions. Parameter optimization is used to tune the hybrid zero dynamics in order to achieve closed-loop, exponentially stable walking with low energy consumption, while meeting natural kinematic and dynamic constraints. The general theory developed in the paper is illustrated on a five link walker, consisting of a torso and two legs with knees.

/pdf/hybrid-zero-dynamics-of-planar-biped-walkers-1f08i7dzjl.pdf

Hybrid zero dynamics of planar biped walkers

This paper proposes an algorithm to estimate human intentions related to walking in order to comfortably and safely support a paraplegia patient's walk. Robot Suit HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) has been developed for enhancement of a healthy person's activities and for support of a physically challenged person's daily life. The assisting method based on bioelectrical signals such as myoelectricity successfully supports a healthy person's walking. These bioelectrical signals, however, cannot be measured properly from a paraplegia patient. Therefore another interface that can estimate a patient's intentions without any manual controller is desired for robot control since a manual controller deprives a patient of his/her hand freedom. Estimation of a patient's intentions contributes to providing not only comfortable support but also safe support, because any inconformity between the robot suit motion and the patient motion results in his/her stumbling or falling. The proposed algorithm estimates a patient's in...

/pdf/intention-based-walking-support-for-paraplegia-patients-with-58ike6nukw.pdf

Intention-based walking support for paraplegia patients with Robot Suit HAL

Physical support of lower limbs during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit transfers is important for an independent life of paraplegic patients. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to realize the control method of complete paraplegic patients during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit transfers by using a 'robot suit HAL'. It is the most challenging issue because the HAL should start supporting the wearer's motions synchronizing his/her intention. Our proposed algorithm infers the intention based on a preliminary motion that is observed just before a desired motion so the patient could start the sit-to-stand or stand-to-sit transfers without any operation. When the HAL detects the intention to stand up and sit down, the HAL starts to support the wearer's weight and to control their body posture for stability during their transfer. The proposed algorithms embedded in the HAL were applied to a complete spinal cord injury patient in a clinical trial to confirm the effectiveness. The experimental results indicate t...

/pdf/sit-to-stand-and-stand-to-sit-transfer-support-for-complete-3xbv2f9x64.pdf

Sit-to-Stand and Stand-to-Sit Transfer Support for Complete Paraplegic Patients with Robot Suit HAL

Self-tuning fuzzy modeling with adaptive membership function, rules, and hierarchical structure based on genetic algorithm

This paper proposes a novel gait intention estimator for an exoskeleton-wearer who needs gait support owing to walking impairment. The gait intention estimator not only detects the intention related to the start of the swing leg based on the behavior of the center of ground reaction force (CoGRF), but also infers the swing speed depending on the walking velocity. The preliminary experiments categorized into two stages were performed on a mannequin equipped with the exoskeleton robot [Hybrid Assistive Limb: (HAL)] including the proposed estimator. The first experiment verified that the gait support system allowed the mannequin to walk properly and safely. In the second experiment, we confirmed the differences in gait characteristics attributed to the presence or absence of the proposed swing speed profile. As a feasibility study, we evaluated the walking capability of a severe spinal cord injury patient supported by the system during a 10-m walk test. The results showed that the system enabled the patient to accomplish a symmetrical walk from both spatial and temporal standpoints while adjusting the speed of the swing leg. Furthermore, the critical differences of gait between our system and a knee-ankle-foot orthosis were obtained from the CoGRF distribution and the walking time. Through the tests, we demonstrated the effectiveness and practical feasibility of the gait support algorithms.

Restoration of Gait for Spinal Cord Injury Patients Using HAL With Intention Estimator for Preferable Swing Speed

This paper proposes a standing-up motion support system for complete paraplegic patients who cannot stand up by himself/herself due to a spinal cord injury. The standing-up motion is the first step for us to move somewhere inside and outside in our daily life. Therefore, the standing-up motion support is indispensable for patients to promote his/her independent life. The proposed support system using an exoskeletal assistive system “Robot Suit HAL” supports the wearer's weight during his/her standing-up motion so that he/she can stand up without any physical efforts. Besides, the support system controls the patient's posture for his/her stability to avoid falling down during the standing-up motion. The system also estimates his/her intention to stand up based on a preliminary motion of his/her upper body. The patient therefore starts the standing-up without any operations, just by bending his/her upper body forward as the preliminary motion. First, the system performance with respect to the weight-bearing and the balance control was confirmed through the experiment, by supporting a mannequin's standing-up. Then, the proposed system including the intention estimation algorithm was provided for a complete paraplegic patient in order to verify the performance of the total system. In consequence, we confirmed that the proposed system safely supported his standing-up according to his intention.

Yasuhisa Hasegawa

Papers

Intention-based walking support for paraplegia patients with Robot Suit HAL

Sit-to-Stand and Stand-to-Sit Transfer Support for Complete Paraplegic Patients with Robot Suit HAL

Self-tuning fuzzy modeling with adaptive membership function, rules, and hierarchical structure based on genetic algorithm

Restoration of Gait for Spinal Cord Injury Patients Using HAL With Intention Estimator for Preferable Swing Speed

Standing-up motion support for paraplegic patient with Robot Suit HAL