Design of Human-Robot Interaction for Novel Interlimb Motor Adaptation Scenarios

我的研究计划的长期目标是：1)通过应用机器人学原理，发现人类感觉运动的适应性，根据本发现资助计划阐明的原理/机制，最终可以在新的治疗方案中利用这些原理/机制；2)通过适应性交互设计增强运动适应性；3)通过人-机器人机电设备和感觉可穿戴技术的新配方，提高功能和降低成本。 在短期内，我建议在未来五年内，透过下列措施，推动上述每一方面的工作： 1)通过研究参与者在各种刺激-反应条件下的双手运动任务，来表征上肢运动的协同效应。双手运动的不对称性降低了身体健全的人和那些由于中风而导致偏瘫(一侧虚弱)的人的运动质量。正常和加重的不对称性为研究成人神经系统运动适应的神经机制提供了机会。两个机器人，其中一个由另一个使用新算法的运动学控制，将允许参与者在双手伸展运动中将注意力集中在他们的不对称上。预计练习将导致肢体间协调性和运动适应特征的可量化改善。 2)创造上肢和下肢同时参与平衡和伸展任务的运动适应情景。在过去的5年里，我们开发了Riser，这是一个研究人体平衡、下肢运动适应和肢体间协调的机器人平台。我建议在我们的平台上增加机械装置和传感器，允许参与者站在立管上的所有四肢都参与平衡任务或双手伸展任务。目标是探索上肢和下肢以及左右肢的传感器增益的不同组合，将参与者的注意力集中在他们运动中的不对称和协同效应上。对不同机器人调节条件下的运动适应进行表征，可以更好地理解人类控制运动的神经机制。 3)开发具有嵌入式传感、执行器和显示功能的坚固、低成本、可穿戴的机电设备。上述研究需要在硬件和软件上对我们实验室现有的机器人设备进行扩充。为了提供所需的非常规刺激，目标是开发部分可穿戴系统，结合机械臂和我们的平台，设置为可编程的锻炼和平衡设备。多传感器和执行器系统需要一种以用户为中心的迭代方法来进行实时编程和试点测试，以评估人类对新的交互体验的反应。

The long-term objectives of my research program are: 1) to discover human sensorimotor adaptations, through the application of robotics principles, that can ultimately be exploited, based on the principles/mechanisms elucidated in this Discovery Grant program, in novel therapy regimens; 2) to enhance motor adaptation, through adaptive interaction design and 3) to drive functionality up and cost down through new formulations of human-robot mechatronic devices and sensate wearable technologies. In the short term, during the next five years I propose to advance each of these areas through the following initiatives: 1) To characterize upper-limb movement synergies through research studies that engage participants in bimanual motor tasks under a variety of stimulus-response conditions. Asymmetries in bimanual movements reduce movement quality in both able-bodied persons and those who have become hemiparetic (weak on one side) as a result of, for example, a stroke. Normal and accentuated asymmetries provide an opportunity to study neural mechanisms of motor adaptation in the adult nervous system. Two robots, with one being controlled by the kinematics of the other using novel algorithms, will allow participants to focus attention on their asymmetries during bimanual reaching motions. Practice is expected to lead to quantifiable improvements in interlimb coordination and the characterization of motor adaptation. 2) To create motor adaptation scenarios involving the upper and lower limbs simultaneously in balance and reaching tasks. Over the past 5 years, we have developed RISER, a robotic platform to study human balance, lower-limb motor adaptation, and interlimb coordination. I propose to augment our platform with mechanisms and sensors to allow all four limbs of a participant standing on RISER to be involved in a balance task or in a bimanual reaching task. The goal is to explore different combinations of sensor gains for upper and lower limbs, and for left and right limbs, to focus participant attention on asymmetries and synergies in their movements. The characterization of motor adaptation under different robot-mediated conditions can lead to an improved understanding of the neural mechanisms involved in the human control of movement. 3) To develop robust, lower-cost, wearable mechatronic devices with embedded sensing, actuator and display capabilities. The research studies described above require augmentations, in both hardware and software, to the robot devices currently available in our lab. To provide the unconventional stimuli needed, the goal is to develop partially wearable systems, in combination with robot arms and our platform set up as programmable exercise and balance devices. Multi-sensor and -actuator systems require an iterative user-centred approach to real-time programming and pilot testing to assess human reactions to novel interaction experiences.