Stretching their reach: Robotic support for domestic activities for older individuals with mobility limitations

摘要 Hello Robot提交的这份第一阶段SBIR提案要求提供资金，以开发支持老年人的机器人 行动不便的成年人。近1600万美国老年人患有行动不便，经常需要 支持家庭活动，包括自理和家庭活动。个人机器人拥有巨大的 增强个人能力、支持独立性、启用功能活动和减少跌倒的潜力 风险。到目前为止，还没有专门为满足以下需求和能力而设计的商用机器人 负担得起、安全、有效的老年人，可在家中使用。StretchTM机器人的设计目的是 通过使用安装在移动底座上的轻型伸缩臂来支持日常活动。机器人 可以由用户通过触摸屏、网络浏览器、操纵杆或语音命令进行遥操作。拉伸是一种 正在运行的研究机器人原型。为了实现支持行动不便的老年人的全部功能， 我们需要确定老年人在家中需要支持的任务的具体特征； 设计使Stretch能够有效执行活动的工具；并设计易于使用的界面 这些老年人可以用来控制伸展来执行他们想要的任务。此第一阶段建议书 支持NIA SBIR关于老龄化的优先研究，以开发促进独立的机器人技术 通过缓解与年龄有关的身体健康挑战。我们建议设计和测试一系列活动 这种伸展可以在老年人容易控制的情况下进行，以支持独立性，增强安全性，以及 提高生活质量。该提案有三大目标：目标1：确定老年人的支助需求 具有移动性限制和拉伸的技术要求。这一目标将产生详细的规范 行动不便的老年人需要支持的活动以及技术设计 需要。目标2：为一组优先的家庭任务开发伸展工具和交互方法。基于 来自AIM 1的结果，我们将选择一套高优先级任务在AIM 2中进行开发并直接进行用户测试 在目标3中。在目标2中，我们将开发功能原型并细化控制接口功能以支持 人-机器人交互的易用性和可靠性。我们将确定使用挑战以指导用户 指导和训练方案。这一目标将产生一套用于拉伸以及 对行动不便的老年人进行测试的实施方案。目标3：测试以下项目的可行性 老年人在家庭环境中的伸展使用。我们将使用参与式设计方法来评估 有行动能力限制的老年人能够控制机器人在模拟环境中完成目标任务 家居环境。我们将在发现使用挑战或机器人效率低下时进行调整。这一目标 将提供可行性数据，为功能、可用、有用、支持性的机器人系统提供信息，使 家中行动不便的老年人的自主性。伸展机器人拥有巨大的 有潜力支持日常家庭活动，提高自主性和生活质量。

Abstract This Phase I SBIR proposal submitted by Hello Robot requests funds to develop a robot that will support older adults with mobility limitations. Nearly 16 million older Americans have a mobility disability and often need support for domestic activities including self-care and household activities. Personal robots have tremendous potential to augment individual capabilities, support independence, enable functional activities, and reduce falls risk. To-date, there are no commercially available robots designed specifically for needs and capabilities of older adults that are affordable, safe, and effective for use in homes. The StretchTM robot is designed to support everyday activities through use of a lightweight telescoping arm mounted on a mobile base. The robot could be teleoperated by a user through a touchscreen, web browser, joystick, or voice command. Stretch is a functioning research robot prototype. To attain full functionality to support older adults with mobility limitations, we need to identify the specific characteristics of the tasks for which older adults need support in their homes; design the tools that enable Stretch to effectively perform the activities; and design an easy-to-use interface that these older adults can use to control Stretch to carry out their desired tasks. This Phase I proposal supports the NIA SBIR research priority on Aging in Place to develop robotics that promote independence through mitigation of age-related physical health challenges. We propose to design and test a suite of activities that Stretch can perform, with ease of control by older adults, to support independence, enhance safety, and improve quality of life. The proposal has three broad aims: Aim 1: Identify support needs of older adults with mobility limitations and technical requirements for Stretch. This aim will yield detailed specifications of the activities for which older adults with mobility disabilities need support as well as the technical design needs. Aim 2: Develop Stretch tools and interaction methods for a priority set of home tasks. Based on findings from Aim 1, we will select a suite of high priority tasks for development in Aim 2 and direct user testing in Aim 3. In Aim 2, we will develop functioning prototypes and refine the control interface features to support ease of use and reliability for the human-robot interaction. We will identify use challenges to guide user instructions and training protocols. This aim will yield a suite of task capabilities for Stretch as well as implementation protocols for testing with older adults with mobility limitations. Aim 3: Test feasibility of Stretch use by older adults in a home environment. We will use a participatory design approach to assess the ability of older adults with mobility limitations to control the robot to achieve the target tasks in a simulated home environment. We will make adjustments as use challenges or robot inefficiencies are identified. This aim will provide feasibility data to inform a functional, usable, useful, supportive robot system that enables the autonomy of older individuals with mobility limitations in their homes. The Stretch robot has tremendous potential to support everyday home activities, increasing autonomy and increased quality of life.