MRI-Development of an Open Architecture and Scalable Exoskeleton for Research on the Restoration of Ambulation of Persons with Diisabilities

这项主要研究仪器补助金将开发一种新的实验性康复外骨骼，这将刺激广泛的研究，以改善因中风，脊髓损伤或脑瘫而难以行走的人的生活。研究表明，肢体残疾人表示更希望能够在社区中独立行走。具有马达以辅助腿关节运动的机器人外骨骼已经引起了极大的兴趣，但是还不能提供满足用户需求的行走质量。步行是机器人式的，速度很慢，而且只能在非常平坦的表面上工作。这些设备还没有在真实的世界中工作。这笔赠款将允许新泽西理工学院开发一种研究质量的外骨骼，该外骨骼将用于12个以上的项目，旨在提高外骨骼在家庭和社区中提供帮助的能力。新的外骨骼将有强大的马达来支持人类腿部的所有主要运动，以及大量的传感器。它将有计算机的力量，探索令人兴奋的新方法，既用户和自动控制步行和平衡。这些项目将解决有关人机交互的重要工程和科学问题，并将产生更有效的用户-机器人界面，这些界面直观，易于学习，并允许用户保持平衡。这项研究将有助于定义商业外骨骼中必不可少的功能，并将成为下一代商业产品。这项工作支持了美国国家科学基金会的使命，提供必要的技术研究的机器人控制，机器人传感器和计算方法，人类的表现，和神经科学的步行。这一科学对于促进神经康复服务和康复产品开发的进一步发展至关重要。此外，它在一所主要技术大学的存在将对研究生和本科生的教育产生重大影响，并为大量中学生带来技术兴奋。

This Major Research Instrumentation grant will develop a new experimental exoskeleton for rehabilitation that will stimulate a wide range of research studies to improve the lives of individuals who have difficulty walking due to a stroke, spinal cord injury or cerebral palsy. Studies have shown that individuals with ambulation disabilities express a preference for being able to walk independently in their communities. Robotic exoskeletons that have motors to assist with leg joint movement have sparked great interest, but have not yet been able to provide the quality of walking that meets user needs. Walking is robotic and slow, and only works on very flat surfaces. These devices do not yet work in the real world.This grant will allow New Jersey Institute of Technology to develop a research-quality exoskeleton that will be used in more than twelve projects aimed at improving the ability of exoskeletons to provide assistance in the home and community. The new exoskeleton will have powerful motors to support all major movements of the human leg, as well as a large array of sensors. It will have the computer power to explore exciting new approaches to both user and automatic control of walking and balance. The projects will address important engineering and scientific questions about human-robot interaction, and will produce more effective user-robot interfaces that are intuitive, easy to learn, and allow the user to keep his/her balance. This research will help define the capabilities that are essential in a commercial exoskeleton and will the next generation of commercial products. This work supports the mission of the NSF by providing essential technological study of robot controls, robot sensors and computational methods, human performance, and the neuroscience of walking. This science is essential to promoting further advances in neurorehabilitation services and rehabilitation product development. In addition, its presence in a major technological university will have a major impact on the education of graduate and undergraduate students, as well as bringing technological excitement to a large number of secondary school students.