PEXO - A Pediatric Whole Hand Exoskeleton for Grasping Assistance in Task-Oriented Training

Bützer, Tobias; Dittli, Jan; Lieber, Jan; Hedel, Hubertus J. A. van; Meyer-Heim, Andreas; Lambercy, Olivier; Gassert, Roger

doi:10.1109/icorr.2019.8779489

Cited by 36 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Our autonomy assessment is comparable to other studies [32,39,53] and would provide an extensive training dose for the user. However, the obtained autonomy must be interpreted with caution because it depends on the movement regime, for example, higher interaction velocities or higher interaction forces might arise if the hand is not completely passive.…”

Section: Design Choices and Performance Characterizationsupporting

confidence: 59%

“…This is often achieved by moving parts that are not directly required for actuation (e.g. battery, controller and others) to more proximal body parts [39,53,72].…”

Section: Weight Size and Ergonomicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unlike stationary rehabilitation devices [36][37][38], a fully wearable exoskeleton offers the possibility to use (i.e. to train) the paretic limb during functional everyday tasks [7,39,40] where higher training dose could more conveniently be achieved. Exoskeletons interact at the level of individual joints and enable joint specific kinematic assessments [41,42].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Characterization and wearability evaluation of a fully portable wrist exoskeleton for unsupervised training after stroke

Lambelet

Temiraliuly

Siegenthaler

et al. 2020

J NeuroEngineering Rehabil

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Chronic hand and wrist impairment are frequently present following stroke and severely limit independence in everyday life. The wrist orientates and stabilizes the hand before and during grasping, and is therefore of critical importance in activities of daily living (ADL). To improve rehabilitation outcomes, classical therapy could be supplemented by novel therapies that can be applied in unsupervised settings. This would enable more distributed practice and could potentially increase overall training dose. Robotic technology offers new possibilities to address this challenge, but it is critical that devices for independent training are easy and appealing to use. Here, we present the development, characterization and wearability evaluation of a fully portable exoskeleton for active wrist extension/flexion support in stroke rehabilitation. Methods First we defined the requirements, and based on these, constructed the exoskeleton. We then characterized the device with standardized haptic and human-robot interaction metrics. The exoskeleton is composed of two modules placed on the forearm/hand and the upper arm. These modules weigh 238 g and 224 g, respectively. The forearm module actively supports wrist extension and flexion with a torque up to 3.7 Nm and an angular velocity up to 530 deg/s over a range of 154∘. The upper arm module includes the control electronics and battery, which can power the device for about 125 min in normal use. Special emphasis was put on independent donning and doffing of the device, which was tested via a wearability evaluation in 15 healthy participants and 2 stroke survivors using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Results All participants were able to independently don and doff the device after only 4 practice trials. For healthy participants the donning and doffing process took 61 ±15 s and 24 ±6 s, respectively. The two stroke survivors donned and doffed the exoskeleton in 54 s/22 s and 113 s/32 s, respectively. Usability questionnaires revealed that despite minor difficulties, all participants were positive regarding the device. Conclusions This study describes an actuated wrist exoskeleton which weighs less than 500 g, and which is easy and fast to don and doff with one hand. Our design has put special emphasis on the donning aspect of robotic devices which constitutes the first barrier a user will face in unsupervised settings. The proposed device is a first and intermediate step towards wearable rehabilitation technologies that can be used independently by the patient and in unsupervised settings.

show abstract

Section: Design Choices and Performance Characterizationsupporting

confidence: 59%

“…This is often achieved by moving parts that are not directly required for actuation (e.g. battery, controller and others) to more proximal body parts [39,53,72].…”

Section: Weight Size and Ergonomicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Characterization and wearability evaluation of a fully portable wrist exoskeleton for unsupervised training after stroke

Lambelet

Temiraliuly

Siegenthaler

et al. 2020

J NeuroEngineering Rehabil

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Building on the findings of the literature review, we selected, designed, and optimized a RAS in the context of the out-of-the-lab application of a fully wearable assistive device. As a design case, we chose the clinical and at-home application of the remote actuation unit of an assistive hand exoskeleton for adults and children with hand sensorimotor impairment presented in Bützer et al ( 2019 ), Bützer et al ( 2020 ) ( Figure 2 ). The hand exoskeleton actively supports the four fingers' flexion and extension (index, middle, ring, and little finger) combined and the thumb separately.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remote Actuation Systems for Fully Wearable Assistive Devices: Requirements, Selection, and Optimization for Out-of-the-Lab Application of a Hand Exoskeleton

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Wearable robots assist individuals with sensorimotor impairment in daily life, or support industrial workers in physically demanding tasks. In such scenarios, low mass and compact design are crucial factors for device acceptance. Remote actuation systems (RAS) have emerged as a popular approach in wearable robots to reduce perceived weight and increase usability. Different RAS have been presented in the literature to accommodate for a wide range of applications and related design requirements. The push toward use of wearable robotics in out-of-the-lab applications in clinics, home environments, or industry created a shift in requirements for RAS. In this context, high durability, ergonomics, and simple maintenance gain in importance. However, these are only rarely considered and evaluated in research publications, despite being drivers for device abandonment by end-users. In this paper, we summarize existing approaches of RAS for wearable assistive technology in a literature review and compare advantages and disadvantages, focusing on specific evaluation criteria for out-of-the-lab applications to provide guidelines for the selection of RAS. Based on the gained insights, we present the development, optimization, and evaluation of a cable-based RAS for out-of-the-lab applications in a wearable assistive soft hand exoskeleton. The presented RAS features full wearability, high durability, high efficiency, and appealing design while fulfilling ergonomic criteria such as low mass and high wearing comfort. This work aims to support the transfer of RAS for wearable robotics from controlled lab environments to out-of-the-lab applications.

show abstract

“…Some researchers developed ChARMin, an actuated upper limb exoskeleton, to provide intensive rehabilitative training for children with affected arm motor function [38]. At ETH Zurich, other researchers developed a pediatric hand exoskeleton for grasping assistance in task-oriented training called PEXO [39].…”

Section: Pediatric Exoskeletonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting inclusiveness in exoskeleton robotics: Addressing challenges for pediatric access

Fosch‐Villaronga

Čartolovni

Pierce

2020

Paladyn, Journal of Behavioral Robotics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Pediatric access to exoskeletons lags far behind that of adults. In this article, we promote inclusiveness in exoskeleton robotics by identifying and addressing challenges and barriers to pediatric access to this potentially life-changing technology. We first present available exoskeleton solutions for upper and lower limbs and note the variability in the absence of these. Next, we query the possible reasons for this variability in access, explicitly focusing on children, who constitute a categorically vulnerable population, and also stand to benefit significantly from the use of this technology at this critical point in their physical and emotional growth. We propose the use of a life-based design approach as a way to address some of the design challenges and offer insights toward a resolution regarding market viability and implementation challenges. We conclude that the development of pediatric exoskeletons that allow for and ensure access to health-enhancing technology is a crucial aspect of the responsible provision of health care to all members of society. For children, the stakes are particularly high, given that this technology, when used at a critical phase of a child’s development, not only holds out the possibility of improving the quality of life but also can improve the long-term health prospects.

show abstract

PEXO - A Pediatric Whole Hand Exoskeleton for Grasping Assistance in Task-Oriented Training

Cited by 36 publications

References 31 publications

Characterization and wearability evaluation of a fully portable wrist exoskeleton for unsupervised training after stroke

Characterization and wearability evaluation of a fully portable wrist exoskeleton for unsupervised training after stroke

Remote Actuation Systems for Fully Wearable Assistive Devices: Requirements, Selection, and Optimization for Out-of-the-Lab Application of a Hand Exoskeleton

Promoting inclusiveness in exoskeleton robotics: Addressing challenges for pediatric access

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About