Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Jesus de Miguel Fernandez, Marta Rey-Prieto, Miguel Salazar-Del Rio, Helena Lopez-Matas, Lluis Guirao-Cano, Josep M. M. Font-Llagunes, Joan Lobo-Prat
Summary: This study investigated how stroke individuals responded to training with a knee exoskeleton (ABLE-KS) using assistance and resistance modes and auditory feedback. The results showed significant improvements in peak knee flexion, minimum knee angle during stance, paretic single support time, and gait endurance after the two weeks of training.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Roberto Leo Medrano, Gray Cortright Thomas, Elliott J. Rouse, Robert D. Gregg
Summary: This study investigates the feasibility of using Bayesian state estimation to detect and adapt to changing walking conditions in exoskeletons. Through theoretical simulations, the study evaluates different Bayesian filter assumptions and sensor configurations and concludes that the assumptions of the Extended Kalman Filter are well suited for accurately estimating gait parameters in exoskeletons.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Robotics
Liang Ma, Yuquan Leng, Wei Jiang, Yuepeng Qian, Chenglong Fu
Summary: This study introduces an underactuated soft exoskeleton that can provide sequential assistance to the knee and ankle using only one motor. The experimental results show that the exoskeleton significantly reduces the load on the lower-limb joints and improves the effectiveness of motion.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Robotics
Christopher Nesler, Gray Thomas, Nikhil Divekar, Elliott J. Rouse, Robert D. Gregg
Summary: This article introduces a modular lower-limb exoskeleton, M-BLUE, which can reduce muscle fatigue, improve lifting posture, and benefit individuals with mobility disabilities. It has the potential for significant applications in a heterogeneous population.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Robotics
Sophia Otalora, Felipe Ballen-Moreno, Luis Arciniegas-Mayag, Marcela Munera, Carlos A. Cifuentes
Summary: This study presents the design of the AGoRA V2 unilateral lower-limb exoskeleton and evaluates its effects on gait parameters in ten subjects. The results demonstrate that the exoskeleton significantly reduces muscle activity and provides effective assistance for ankle and shoulder muscles.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Robotics
Jesus de Miguel-Fernandez, Camille Pescatore, Alba Mesa-Garrido, Cindy Rikhof, Erik Prinsen, Josep M. Font-Llagunes, Joan Lobo-Prat
Summary: Recent studies have shown that ankle exoskeletons can improve gait biomechanics and walking performance for post-stroke individuals. This comprehensive experimental analysis and protocol evaluated a wide range of metrics and showed that the ABLE-S exoskeleton significantly corrected foot drop, reduced compensatory movements, and improved gait patterns.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Robotics
Woolim Hong, Namita Anil Kumar, Shawanee' Patrick, Sunwoong Moon, Pilwon Hur
Summary: Achieving stable walking and proper assistance in prosthesis control requires synchronized control, treating the user and the prosthesis as a coupled system. Speed adaptability is essential for controlling the prosthesis at different walking speeds. The proposed piecewise phase variable (PW-PV) accounts for different toe-off timings while estimating the user's gait phase at various speeds, resulting in improved walking performance for both healthy and amputee participants.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Bokman Lim, Byungjune Choi, Changhyun Roh, Seungyong Hyung, Yong-Jae Kim, Younbaek Lee
Summary: This letter introduces a parametric delayed output feedback controller for human-exoskeleton interactions during walking or running. The controller utilizes three adjustable parameters to generate various interaction torques and has been tested for reliability and efficacy. Results show that hip exoskeleton assistance can reduce metabolic cost during running, and different gait resistances can be provided using different time delays.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Ying Fang, Zachary F. Lerner
Summary: Wearable robotic assistance can improve gait and walking ability in patients with lower-limb hemiparesis. This case series study found that assisting both limbs is more effective than assisting only the paretic side, leading to a more symmetrical and efficient gait.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Robotics
Huimin Su, Kyoung-Soub Lee, Yusung Kim, Hyung-Soon Park
Summary: This study proposes a bioinspired soft wearable skin-brace for assisting forearm pronation/supination movement in patients with neurological diseases. Through biomechanical analysis and performance evaluation, it is demonstrated that the device provides sufficient support for patients and has a user-friendly design with individual customization capabilities.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Robotics
Ava Chen, Lauren Winterbottom, Sangwoo Park, Jingxi Xu, Dawn M. Nilsen, Joel Stein, Matei Ciocarlie
Summary: This study proposes a dual-cable method to stabilize the thumb for individuals with upper extremity hemiparesis after stroke. The method enhances thumb flexibility and improves grasp stability, showing promising results in object manipulation tasks.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Ana C. De Oliveira, James S. Sulzer, Ashish D. Deshpande
Summary: This study evaluated the joint angle tracking accuracy of the Harmony exoskeleton, finding good agreement with optical motion capture markers and suggesting that discrepancies were primarily due to soft tissue deformation. The results indicate that the Harmony exoskeleton is capable of providing accurate measurements of arm and shoulder joint kinematics, potentially enabling robot-assisted assessment and intervention for complex joint structures in the human body.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Robotics
Tristan Fraai, Jian Wen, Majid Taghavi
Summary: This study introduces an electrically zipping bending actuator (EZBA) that reduces the weight of a prosthetic and compares its performance to that of a human finger in terms of bending and force.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Alexander Toedtheide, Edmundo Pozo Fortunic, Johannes Kuehn, Elisabeth Rose Jensen, Sami Haddadin
Summary: This article introduces an active force-sensitive robotic socket that can offload the residual limb and provide guidance through small interaction forces. Through the use of a wearable shoulder exoskeleton called exoprosthesis, the feasibility of this concept is investigated and confirmed through simulations, experiments, and human-in-the-loop tests.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ROBOTICS
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Digby Chappell, Honn Wee Son, Angus B. Clark, Zeyu Yang, Fernando Bello, Petar Kormushev, Nicolas Rojas
Summary: Virtual reality (VR) rehabilitation systems allow prosthetic hand users to train before receiving their prosthesis, and improving the realism and accuracy of the training is important for rehabilitation. This study presents a VR training platform with accurate simulation of a prosthetic hand and realistic forces, and the results show that training with this platform significantly improves hand movement scores.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Federico Califano, Ramy Rashad, Frederic P. Schuller, Stefano Stramigioli
Summary: This paper introduces the geometric structure of port-Hamiltonian models for distributed parameter systems with moving material domains, and demonstrates the use of differential geometric tools to represent infinite-dimensional systems on time-varying spatial domains in a port-based framework.
JOURNAL OF GEOMETRY AND PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Youngsuk Hong, Ramy Rashad, Soocheol Noh, Taeyoon Lee, Stefano Stramigioli, Frank C. Park
Summary: A geometric dynamic modeling framework for multirotor aerial vehicles is presented, based on modern Lie group formulation. The framework allows for various rotor-wing configurations and considers all masses, inertias, forces, and moments, providing practical advantages for design optimization and trajectory optimization.
NONLINEAR DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Vincent Groenhuis, Frangoise J. Siepel, Stefano Stramigioli
Summary: Pneumatic multi-shaft stepper motors combine individual stepper motors into a single device for driving MR safe robotics and other devices in tight spaces like MRI scanners. While offering advantages in motor dimensions and pneumatic tube count, there are drawbacks in terms of dynamic performance, accuracy, and kinematic design for effective use of the motor.
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2022)
Article
Robotics
Johannes Lachner, Felix Allmendinger, Stefano Stramigioli, Neville Hogan
Summary: This article introduces an algorithm for task management based on impedance control, which can handle multiple tasks simultaneously and adjust the impedance parameters of the tasks based on the robot's inertial properties. The method is capable of controlling kinematically redundant robots and detecting and resolving task conflicts. Experimental results show that the method preserves passivity while improving the Cartesian task performance of the robot's impedance controller, and it has computational advantages.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ROBOTICS
(2022)
Article
Mechanics
F. Califano, R. Rashad, S. Stramigioli
Summary: This article presents a description of thermodynamics for continuum mechanical systems using the coordinate-free language of exterior calculus. It provides a detailed description of the mathematical tools needed to formulate the relevant conservation laws and describes the two thermodynamic principles using an axiomatic approach, resulting in a consistent description of entropy creation mechanisms on manifolds. It also specializes in Fourier-Navier-Stokes fluids.
Article
Robotics
Ramy Rashad, Davide Bicego, Jelle Zult, Santiago Sanchez-Escalonilla, Ran Jiao, Antonio Franchi, Stefano Stramigioli
Summary: This work addresses the interaction control problem of a fully actuated aerial vehicle considered as a flying end-effector. The problem is tackled using geometrically consistent variable-stiffness impedance control in the port Hamiltonian framework, ensuring safe wrench regulation. The study extends previous research on ground manipulators to novel and challenging aerial physical interaction, with a focus on quasi-static applications. The proposed control method guarantees energy-aware stability of the aerial robot in both free-flight and in-contact scenarios, providing a level of safety in the case of contact-loss with the unknown environment.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ROBOTICS
(2022)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Federico Califano, Alexander Dijkshoorn, Sander Roodink, Stefano Stramigioli, Gijs Krijnen
Summary: In this article, a novel energy-based control architecture on Euler-Bernoulli beams equipped with a variable stiffness mechanism is presented. Two control laws are developed to stabilize the beam and induce limit cycles on it. Experimental results validate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed control laws.
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Andrea Brugnoli, Ramy Rashad, Stefano Stramigioli
Summary: In this paper, a novel approach to discretize linear port-Hamiltonian systems while preserving the underlying structure is proposed. The method utilizes a finite element exterior calculus formulation to represent conservation laws and handle mixed open boundary conditions. By employing a dual-field representation of the physical system, the need to mimic the Hodge star operator at the discrete level is eliminated. Numerical experiments validate the effectiveness of the method and the preservation of energy balance.
JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Anton V. Nikolaev, Leon de Jong, Patrik Zamecnik, Vincent Groenhuis, Francoise J. Siepel, Stefano Stramigioli, Hendrik H. G. Hansen, Chris L. de Korte
Summary: In this study, a novel Automated Cone-based Breast Ultrasound Scanning and Biopsy System (ACBUS-BS) was introduced for scanning and biopsy of women's breasts. The system, based on a previously developed ACBUS system, enables MRI-3D ultrasound image fusion imaging. The results demonstrate the feasibility of ACBUS-BS for biopsy of US-visible and US-occult lesions, offering a low-cost alternative to MRI-guided biopsy.
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Yannik P. Wotte, Sven Dummer, Nicolo Botteghi, Christoph Brune, Stefano Stramigioli, Federico Califano
Summary: It is known that conservative mechanical systems exhibit local oscillatory behaviors due to their potentials, which completely characterize these motions together with the inertial properties of the system. The classification and geometric characterization of these behaviors are still being debated, leading to the development of eigenmanifold theory. In this research, we utilize tools from eigenmanifold theory to construct an optimization problem for inducing desired closed-loop oscillations through a state feedback law, and solve it using gradient-descent methods and neural networks. Extensive simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.
OPTIMAL CONTROL APPLICATIONS & METHODS
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Robotics
Federico Califano, Ramy Rashad, Cristian Secchi, Stefano Stramigioli
Summary: In this article, the concept of energy tanks, a control algorithm that has become popular in the robotics and control community in recent years, is described and discussed. The article has three main focuses: i) introducing the topic to the reader in a simple yet precise manner, starting with a thorough description of the energy-aware framework where energy tanks originated; ii) summarizing the various applications of energy tanks, including an original reflection on different formulations; iii) discussing the limitations and future challenges associated with energy tanks and energy-aware control in general.
HUMAN-FRIENDLY ROBOTICS, HFR, 2022
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Information Systems
Kosta Jovanovic, Andrea Schwier, Eloise Matheson, Michele Xiloyannis, Esther Rodijk-Rozeboom, Nadine Hochhausen, Brecht Vermeulen, Birgit Graf, Peter Wolf, Zbigniew Nawrat, Jordi Escuder, Mare Mechelinck, Birgitte Sorensen, Paola Roberta Boscolo, Michael Obach, Selene Tognarelli, Milica Jankovic, Christophe Leroux, Giancarlo Ferrigno, Francoise Siepel, Stefano Stramigioli
Summary: This paper reports the lessons learned from the DIH-HERO project call in Europe for robotic solutions that support healthcare activities. It emphasizes the importance of careful consideration of the ethical, safety, and reliability aspects of robotic application, as well as the need for user trust in the technology.
ADVANCES IN SERVICE AND INDUSTRIAL ROBOTICS, RAAD 2022
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Automation & Control Systems
Boi Okken, Stefano Stramigioli, Wesley Roozing
Summary: This paper presents the design and development of a nonlinear series-elastic element based on repelling magnets. By providing transparency advantages at low load levels and high torque tracking bandwidth at high loads, this novel elastic actuator shows potential. The design space is thoroughly analyzed and a proof-of-concept prototype is experimentally validated, demonstrating the viability of the concept.
2022 IEEE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SAFETY, SECURITY, AND RESCUE ROBOTICS (SSRR)
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Engineering, Biomedical
Yoeko X. Mak, Maurits Zegel, Momen Abayazid, Massimo A. Mariani, Stefano Stramigioli
Summary: This paper presents a method of using head movements to control the camera orientation in thoracoscopic procedures, eliminating the need for a camera assistant. Experiments show that the head-controlled endoscope performs faster than manual control in high difficulty tasks, without sacrificing camera steering accuracy.
2022 9TH IEEE RAS/EMBS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIOMEDICAL ROBOTICS AND BIOMECHATRONICS (BIOROB 2022)
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Nicolo Botteghi, Luuk Grefte, Mannes Poel, Beril Sirmacek, Christoph Brune, Edwin Dertien, Stefano Stramigioli
Summary: Inspection and maintenance of industrial pipeline plants pose challenges for robotics. This study investigates the use of Deep Reinforcement Learning for achieving autonomous navigation of in-pipe robots and demonstrates the importance of hierarchical structure in achieving efficient navigation.
ROBOT INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS 6
(2022)
