Many fluid-based wearable assistive technologies today require a large and noisy pump that is impractical &ndash; if not impossible &ndash; to integrate into clothing. This leads to a contradiction: wearable devices are routinely tethered to un&shy;-wearable pumps. Now, researchers at the Soft Transducers Laboratory (<a href="https://www.epfl.ch/labs/lmts/" target="_blank">LMTS</a>) in the School of Engineering have developed an elegantly simple solution to this dilemma.<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/forx6TA_1wg?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-gtm-yt-inspected-9="true" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> &ldquo;We present the world&rsquo;s first pump in the form of a fiber; in essence, tubing that generates its own pressure and flow rate,&rdquo; says LMTS head Herbert Shea. &ldquo;Now, we can sew our fiber pumps directly into textiles and clothing, leaving conventional pumps behind.&rdquo;The research has been <a href="http://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade8654" rel="noopener" target="_blank">published</a> in the journal Science.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681388882269-f6e5d6b6.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The LMTS fiber pump &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681388906955-df3aef6c.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The fiber pumps woven into fabric &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">Lightweight, powerful&hellip;and washable</h2>Shea&rsquo;s lab has a history of forward-thinking fluidics. In 2019, they produced the world&rsquo;s first <a href="https://actu.epfl.ch/news/nature-a-stretchable-pump-for-the-next-generation-/" target="_blank">stretchable pump</a>.&ldquo;This work builds on our previous generation of soft pump,&rdquo; says Michael Smith, an LMTS post-doctoral researcher and lead author of the study. &ldquo;The fiber format allows us to make lighter, more powerful pumps that are inherently more compatible with wearable technology.&rdquo;The LMTS fiber pumps use a principle called charge injection electrohydrodynamics (EHD) to generate a fluid flow without any moving parts. Two helical electrodes embedded in the pump wall ionize and accelerate molecules of a special non-conductive liquid. The ion movement and electrode shape generate a net forward fluid flow, resulting in silent, vibration-free operation, and requiring just a palm-sized power supply and battery.To achieve the pump&rsquo;s unique structure, the researchers developed a novel fabrication technique that involves twisting copper wires and polyurethane threads together around a steel rod, and then fusing them with heat. After the rod is removed, the 2 mm fibers can be integrated into textiles using standard weaving and sewing techniques.The pump&rsquo;s simple design has a number of advantages. The materials required are cheap and readily available, and the manufacturing process can be easily scaled up. Because the amount of pressure generated by the pump is directly linked to its length, the tubes can be cut to match the application, optimizing performance while minimizing weight. The robust design can also be washed with conventional detergents.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681388950012-578e7f6a.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fabrication of the fiber pump &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681388971485-9c7249d4.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Woven pump demonstration &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">From exoskeletons to virtual reality</h2>The authors have already demonstrated how these fiber pumps can be used in new and exciting wearable technologies. For example, they can circulate hot and cold fluid through garments for those working in extreme temperature environments or in a therapeutic setting to help manage inflammation; and even for those looking to optimize athletic performance.&ldquo;These applications require long lengths of tubing anyway, and in our case, the tubing is the pump. This means we can make very simple and lightweight fluidic circuits that are convenient and comfortable to wear,&rdquo; Smith says.The study also describes artificial muscles made from fabric and embedded fiber pumps, which could be used to power soft exoskeletons to help patients move and walk.The pump could even bring a new dimension to the world of virtual reality by simulating the sensation of temperature. In this case, users wear a glove with pumps filled with hot or cold liquid, allowing them to feel temperature changes in response to contact with a virtual object.<h2>Pumped up for the future</h2>The researchers are already looking to improve the performance of their device. &ldquo;The pumps already perform well, and we&rsquo;re confident that with more work, we can continue to make improvements in areas like efficiency and lifetime,&rdquo; says Smith. Work has already started on scaling up the production of the fiber pumps, and the LMTS also has plans to embed them into more complex wearable devices.&ldquo;We believe that this innovation is a game-changer for wearable technology,&rdquo; Shea says.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681389002841-5a0f4fdc.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The pumps integrated into a glove &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1681389020252-1c9f5836.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Infrared image of the pumps integrated into a t-shirt &copy; LMTS EPFL&nbsp;<hr>ReferencesSmith M, Cacucciolo V, Shea H. Fiber pumps for wearable fluidic systems. Science. 2023 Mar 31;379(6639):1327-1332. doi:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade8654" rel="noopener" target="_blank">10.1126/science.ade8654</a>. Epub 2023 Mar 30.

The fiber pumps knit into fabric © LMTS EPFL

EPFL researchers have developed fiber-like pumps that allow high-pressure fluidic circuits to be woven into textiles without an external pump. Soft supportive exoskeletons, thermoregulatory clothing, and immersive haptics can therefore be powered from pumps sewn into the fabric of the devices themselves.

Thread-like pumps can be woven into clothes

Carbon fiber has made its way into the design and manufacturing of many different products, and that&rsquo;s because of its impressive performance. One of its most recent cutting-edge applications is human exoskeletons. Imagine wearing a carbon fiber structure over your clothes to assist you at work.&nbsp;There are already exoskeletons on the market to help humans perform better, work safer, and even monitor their health and strain through the Internet of Things (IoT). But there still remain challenges associated with the manufacture of carbon fiber parts for these to become mainstream items. In this article, we&rsquo;ll discuss what an exoskeleton is and why carbon fiber is an excellent material to use. We will also look at current trends for manufacturing carbon fiber composite parts, as well as the challenges and how we might be able to innovate to overcome those roadblocks with engineering ingenuity.<h1>What are exoskeletons?</h1>An exoskeleton, as the term implies, is when the skeleton is external on a living creature. Typically, exoskeletons are seen in nature on animals such as spiders, clams, and other insects. [1] But increasingly, the term exoskeleton is being used to describe a similar structure used to support humans. In this case, the exoskeleton is a piece of equipment a person wears externally that can assist them by providing increases in strength and stability.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjcwODQ5NTMxMTg2LWV4byAyLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">An exoskeleton prototype. Image credit: Iberdrola.Human exoskeletons can be purely mechanical, meaning the structure itself supports the worker through elements, such as the frame, hinges, and possibly springs. Exoskeletons can also be electrical and mechanical, incorporating the assistance of an electric motor. For example, the German Bionic exoskeleton in the image below supports a worker&rsquo;s lower back with two servo motors and a carbon fiber frame. The purpose of the exoskeleton is to prevent injuries when workers are performing repetitive operations, including lifting, carrying, and squatting.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjcwODQ5NTk0MjQ1LWV4byAzLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The German Bionic exoskeleton incudes two small motors: Image credit: German Bionic.&nbsp;<h1 id="isPasted">Why is carbon fiber an excellent choice for exoskeletons?</h1>Carbon fiber is being used in many engineering disciplines to replace structures previously constructed with steel or aluminum, because of its strength and stiffness. In order to compare the strength of materials we can examine the ultimate tensile strength. Carbon fiber has an ultimate tensile strength of ~3,500 MPa.[2] Aluminum has an ultimate tensile strength of 70 MPa and steel (ASTM-A36) has an ultimate tensile strength of ~400 MPa. [3]To compare the stiffness of materials we can use Young&rsquo;s Modulus, which is also the ratio of stress over strain. Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFPR) have a Young&rsquo;s Modulus of ~150 GPa, while aluminum alloys are ~70 GPa and steel is ~200 GPa.[3] These are average figures, and the exact composition of the material will determine the precise Young&rsquo;s Modulus, but as you can see, carbon fiber composite materials have similar stiffness to traditional metals used in structures and machinery. These composites also have two important advantages over traditional metals when it comes to building an exoskeleton.First, composites are much lighter than metals making it easier for workers to wear the exoskeleton and be assisted through repetitive tasks. Second, carbon fiber has the ability to be molded into a complex geometry fairly easily. In comparison, metals must be bought in a certain shape or must have a complicated die designed to form parts. But if you use carbon fiber, you create the part on a mold, using a precise lay-up. This means you can precisely maximize strength and stiffness for your design with minimal mass.&nbsp;Depending on the specific carbon fiber composites you use, you &ldquo;lay up&rdquo; the sheets of fibers in a specific pattern to generate the material properties you require. Again, this is a benefit for the exoskeleton that can be manufactured to support the complex geometries of the human body and the variations in size and shape seen across the population.&nbsp;<h1>Current trends in carbon fiber composite manufacturing</h1>The most common carbon fiber manufacturing methods are still rather labour-intensive. The first method is wet lay-up, which is where the carbon fiber sheets are placed or &ldquo;laid up&rdquo; into the mold and the resin is applied by brush, brush<a href="#_msocom_1" id="_anchor_1" language="JavaScript" name="_msoanchor_1" target="_blank">[DI1]</a> , or spray gun. The second is preglamination, where the sheets of carbon fiber have already been infused with the resin, and after they are laid up in the mold, they are cured in an autoclave. The third is resin transfer molding (FRM), which lays up the fiber sheets into a special mold that will be sealed shut and resin is injected at high pressures. [4]To assist each of these methods, 3D printing has been applied at different stages of the process. The molds themselves are now being created using a 3D printer, which results in a more accurate product that requires less rework and surface geometry quality control than a hand-built or cut mold. In addition, there have been advancements in 3D printing the actual carbon fiber composites, using either a resin with chopped fibers embedded or by printing continuous fibers in the horizonal plane for strategic strength and reinforcement of the polymer. [4]<h1>Challenges associated with carbon fiber composites</h1>Depending on the material requirements, budget, and available skilled labour, any of the methods we mentioned could be used to manufacture a carbon fiber exoskeleton. However, many of these methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and very precise, meaning human error in these processes happens quite often. And while some error or variation can be eliminated by using prepreg materials or RFM in order to standardize the amount of resin used, there can still be variation in lay up.&nbsp;Large-scale manufacturing of carbon fiber composites for many different applications share common challenges. Finding, training, and retaining talent to manufacture molds, lay up fiber sheets, and perform quality control are roadblocks for many businesses. While the trends in using 3D printing in some aspects of manufacture could help alleviate the burden on the human labour required, these processes are still expensive and time-consuming. There is a real need in the market for solutions to overcome the challenges of manufacturing carbon fiber components.&nbsp;<h1>Overcoming manufacturing challenges using carbon fiber from Mitsubishi&nbsp;Composites Toolbox</h1>Mitsubishi Chemical Group has developed the Composites Toolbox, a combination of high-quality composite materials, experts, and manufacturing methods to rewrite what&rsquo;s possible in engineering. &nbsp;By replacing traditional materials with composite solutions that meet future performance, consumer, and sustainability requirements, more engineers can help optimize several applications.The Composite toolbox includes a variety of materials; ranging from glass, carbon, or natural fiber reinforcements with a thermoset or thermoplastic matrix. A reduction of the environmental footprint can be obtained with low carbon footprint solutions, such as&rdquo; recycled carbon fiber (rCF), recycled thermoplastics, or biobased thermoset resins.Are you using manual layup and think you need to compromise on freedom of design? The design freedom of some of these materials, such as <a href="" target="_blank">KyronTEX</a>, enables new designs at scale with high process efficiency due to the elimination of various intermediate process steps.<h2>Composite Engineering Challenge</h2>Mitsubishi Chemical Group is inviting innovators, entrepreneurs, and early adopters at universities, (pre-) startups, and scaleups that need fiber-reinforced composites to realize their prototype, part, product, or application.&nbsp;We welcome projects, programs, and companies in the field of new mobility (EV, e-motor, battery casing, etc.), autonomous (delivery) vehicles, people movers, robotics, aerospace, space, bicycles, UAV, AAV, bionics (wheelchairs, exoskeletons, prosthetics), alternative energy (production, storage, transport), self-sensing or self-healing, sport &amp; leisure, alternative (low carbon footprint) fibers and more!The winning entry will be rewarded with a partnership with Growth Garage,&nbsp;Business Incubator of the MCG Advanced Materials Division.&nbsp;This partnership package is valued at $25,000 and will be tailored to the winning team&rsquo;s needs according to their current business and product development stage.&nbsp;<a class="button-main-action" href="https://wevlv.co/homepage-banner" target="_blank">Read more about the challenge here.</a><h2 id="isPasted">Key Dates</h2><table><tbody><tr><td>Composite Challenge Launch&nbsp;</td><td>Monday, October 24th, 2022</td></tr><tr><td>Challenge Close&nbsp;</td><td>Sunday 22 January 2023&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Finalists Announced&nbsp;</td><td>Wednesday 1 February 2023&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Wevolver Community Vote&nbsp;</td><td>From 1-12 February 2023&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Winners announcement&nbsp;</td><td>Tuesday 21 February 2023&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 id="isPasted">About Mitsubishi Chemical Group Advanced Materials Division and Business Incubator Growth Garage</h2>MCG Advanced Materials Division&nbsp;is a leading global manufacturer of high-performance materials in the form of semi-finished products and finished parts. The company has locations in 20 countries and more than 2,800 employees. Its specialty engineering thermoplastics and composites are superior in performance to metals and other materials and are used in a wide range of applications, primarily in the capital goods industry. The company is continuously developing new areas of applications in close cooperation with industry leaders in a wide variety of customer markets.&nbsp;Growth Garage is the Business Incubator of the MCG Advanced Materials Division. Our mission is to support and grow new ideas using our technologies and advanced engineering materials to help tackle some of today&#39;s biggest engineering challenges. We are offering the opportunity for engineers and innovators to pitch us their ideas and receive manufacturing support and services.&nbsp;<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NTk4MjA2NTg0LU1DRyBsb2dvIGJhbm5lci5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">References<ol><li>Encyclopedia Britannica [Internet]. Exoskeleton c2017 Jan 31 [cited 9 Nov 2022]. Available from: <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/exoskeleton-anatomy" target="_blank">https://www.britannica.com/science/exoskeleton-anatomy</a></li><li>Dragonplate.com [Internet]. What is carbon fiber? c2022 [cited 16 Nov 2022]. Available from <a href="https://dragonplate.com/what-is-carbon-fiber#:~:text=The%20stiffness%20of%20a%20material,500%20ksi%20(3.5%20Gpa)" target="_blank">https://dragonplate.com/what-is-carbon-fiber#:~:text=The%20stiffness%20of%20a%20material,500%20ksi%20(3.5%20Gpa)</a></li><li>The Engineering ToolBox [Internet]. Young&rsquo;s Modulus, tensile strength and yield strength values for some materials c2003 [cited 16 Nov 2022]. Available from <a href="https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/young-modulus-d_417.html" target="_blank">https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/young-modulus-d_417.html</a>&nbsp;</li><li>Formlabs.com [Internet]. How to manufacture carbon fiber parts c2022 [cited 16 Nov 2022]. Available from <a href="https://formlabs.com/blog/composite-materials-carbon-fiber-layup/" target="_blank">https://formlabs.com/blog/composite-materials-carbon-fiber-layup/</a>&nbsp;</li></ol>

Exoskeletons made with carbon fiber composites using cutting-edge manufacturing techniques can assist workers in performing repetitive tasks.

Could carbon fiber exoskeletons become common assistive wear for workers?

For years, the Stanford Biomechatronics Laboratory has captured imaginations with their exoskeleton emulators &ndash; lab-based robotic devices that help wearers walk and run faster, with less effort. Now, these researchers will turn heads out in the &ldquo;wild&rdquo; with their first untethered exoskeleton, featured in a paper <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05191-1" id="isPasted" target="_blank">published</a> Oct. 12 in Nature.&nbsp;<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-vTk-TRN0C8?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" style="width: 767px; height: 430px;"></iframe>After years of development in lab settings, researchers in the Stanford Biomechatronics Laboratory, have revealed their first exoskeleton that can assist with walking out in the &ldquo;wild.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;This exoskeleton personalizes assistance as people walk normally through the real world,&rdquo; said <a href="https://profiles.stanford.edu/steven-collins" target="_blank">Steve Collins</a>, associate professor of mechanical engineering who leads the Stanford Biomechatronics Laboratory. &ldquo;And it resulted in exceptional improvements in walking speed and energy economy.&rdquo;This &ldquo;robotic boot&rdquo; has a motor that works with calf muscles to give the wearer an extra push with every step. But, unlike other exoskeletons out there, this push is personalized thanks to a machine-learning-based model that was trained through years of work using emulators.&ldquo;On a treadmill, our device provides twice the energy savings of previous exoskeletons,&rdquo; said Patrick Slade, who worked on the exoskeleton as a PhD student and a <a href="https://humanperformance.stanford.edu/" target="_blank">Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance</a> Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford. &ldquo;In the real world, this translates to significant energy savings and walking speed improvements.&rdquo;The ultimate aim is to help people with mobility impairments, particularly older people, move throughout the world as they like. With this latest breakthrough, the research team believes the technology is ready for commercialization in the coming few years.&ldquo;The first time you put an exoskeleton on can be a bit of an adjustment,&rdquo; said Ava Lakmazaheri, a graduate student in the Biomechatronics Laboratory who wore the exoskeleton in tests. &ldquo;But, honestly, within the first 15 minutes of walking, it starts to feel quite natural. Walking with the exoskeletons quite literally feels like you have an extra spring in your step. It just really makes that next step so much easier.&rdquo;<h2>Exoskeletons for the real world</h2>The major barrier for an effective exoskeleton in the past was individualization. &ldquo;Most exoskeletons are designed using a combination of intuition or biomimicry, but people are too complicated and diverse for that to work well,&rdquo; Collins explained.To address that problem, this group relied on their exoskeleton emulators &ndash; large, immobile, expensive lab setups that can rapidly test how best to assist people and discover the blueprints for effective portable devices to use outside the lab. With students and volunteers hooked up to the emulators, the researchers collected motion and energy expenditure data to understand how the way a person walks with the exoskeleton relates to how much energy they are using.These data revealed the relative benefits of different kinds of assistance offered by the emulator. It also informed a machine-learning model that the real-world exoskeleton now uses to adapt to each wearer. Unlike the emulator, the untethered exoskeleton can monitor movement using only inexpensive wearable sensors integrated into the boot.&ldquo;We measure force and ankle motion through the wearables to provide accurate assistance,&rdquo; said Slade. &ldquo;By doing this, we can carefully control the device as people walk and assist them in a safe, unobtrusive way.&rdquo;<h2>A 30-pound boost</h2>The exoskeleton makes walking easier and can increase speed by applying torque at the ankle, replacing some of the function of the calf muscle. As users take a step, just before their toes are about to leave the ground the device helps them push off.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1665885979684-20220518_exoskeleton_8.webp" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Ava Lakmazaheri, a graduate student in the Biomechatronics Laboratory, walking while wearing the untethered exoskeleton. (Image credit: Kurt Hickman)&nbsp;When a person is first using the exoskeleton, it provides a slightly different pattern of assistance each time the person walks. By measuring the resulting motion, the machine learning model determines how to better assist the person the next time they walk. It takes only about one hour of walking for the exoskeleton to customize to a new user.In tests, the researchers found their exoskeleton exceeded their expectations. According to their calculations, the energy savings and speed boost were equivalent to &ldquo;taking off a 30-pound backpack.&rdquo;&ldquo;Optimized assistance allowed people to walk 9% faster with 17% less energy expended per distance traveled, compared to walking in normal shoes. These are the largest improvements in the speed and energy of economy walking of any exoskeleton to date,&rdquo; said Collins. &ldquo;In direct comparisons on a treadmill, our exoskeleton provides about twice the reduction in effort of previous devices.&rdquo;The next step for the exoskeleton is to see what it can do for the target demographic: older adults and people who are beginning to experience mobility decline due to disability. The researchers also plan to design variations that improve balance and reduce joint pain, and to work with commercial partners to turn the device into a product.&ldquo;This is the first time we&rsquo;ve seen an exoskeleton provide energy savings for real-world users,&rdquo; said Slade. &ldquo;I believe that over the next decade we&rsquo;ll see these ideas of personalizing assistance and effective portable exoskeletons help many people overcome mobility challenges or maintain their ability to live active, independent, and meaningful lives.&rdquo;&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been working towards this goal for about 20 years, and I&rsquo;m honestly a little stunned that we were finally able to do it,&rdquo; said Collins. &ldquo;I really think this technology is going to help a lot of people.&rdquo;

A close-up of the untethered exoskeleton, which monitors movement using inexpensive sensors. (Image credit: Kurt Hickman)

After years of careful development, engineers have created a boot-like exoskeleton that increases walking speed and reduces effort outside of the lab.

Stanford exoskeleton walks out into the real world

For the past few years Dr Matthew Dickinson, Senior Lecturer at The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), has been involved in the &lsquo;Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal&rsquo;. Through the initiative, Matthew partnered with a local student to undertake research using the Ultimaker S5 that went on to be recognized at the UN COP26 conference.<section>A firm believer in encouraging young people to think outside the box, Matthew is a keen advocate of the award which celebrates the innovation of young people, connecting them to Universities to turn their ideas into a reality. When Krystyna Marshall, a 15-year old student from Sir John Thursby Community College in Burnley, entered the competition, with an idea to aid the mobility of children, Matthew knew that this idea was special.Krystyna submitted her idea after seeing the struggles of her cousin living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Krystyna wanted to come up with an idea to provide support and give extra strength to her cousin&rsquo;s back muscles and spine. Krystyna proposed a Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) jacket based on the idea of an exoskeleton and her invention was just one of three to win gold. She is one of six people from across the UK to be recognized as a leading creative problem solver in engineering innovation, through the award.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1655469892836-uclan-exoskleteon_team.webp" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Krystyna with the exoskeleton model&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">The challenge</h2>Fitting an SMA jacket to the human body creates multiple challenges. The initial idea was to manufacture the exoskeleton from aluminium.However, when considering the growth rate of children and the resulting changes that would have to occur to the exoskeleton, costs became too high. Looking for alternative production methods, Matthew turned to 3D Printing. By producing low-cost 3D printed parts, the technology offered a high level of customization and reproducibility enabling the exo-skeleton jacket to become a solution for the prevention of injury and rehabilitation.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1655469917629-uclan-exoskeleton-3d-print.webp" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">An exoskeleton is an assistive mechanical device worn externally to assist with movement or prevent injury&nbsp;Using his Ultimaker 2+ printer, Matthew designed his first-generation exoskeleton and started prototyping using PLA. His results were both promising and an inspiration for further development but the geometries he was able to design and print became limited by the single extrusion print head of the Ultimaker 2+.<h2>Moving forward: Prototyping the exoskeleton</h2>To move past the limitations of the Ultimaker 2+, Matthew approached <a href="https://www.createeducation.com/" target="_blank">The CREATE Education Project</a>.CREATE Education is a UK reseller that works solely with education organisations to support and provide access to 3D printing and technologies. As part of their offering, they introduced Matthew to the 3D printer loan scheme which was how he was able to step up to the Ultimaker S5.The Ultimaker S5 offers dual extrusion and opened up the new material combinations and possibilities that helped propel the project forward.The progression to the second generation prototype looked at 3D printing with multimaterials such as Nylon and TPU. With the Ultimaker S5, Matthew started experimenting with these materials using a PLA internal core and testing the external shell material in Nylon and TPU to find out which performed the best. Matthew discovered that they could produce components that would conform to a person yet provide rigidity because of the soft exterior and hardened interior.Matthew is currently working on the third generation prototype and has manufactured a much sleeker design. He has also done the first test on a human body to support the lower limbs and the outcome has been very promising.Taking advantage of Ultimaker&rsquo;s ecosystem, Matthew optimized his 3D printing experience via the Ultimaker Digital Factory. Providing him with the ability to print remotely, create a digital library and monitor progress from any location. Matthew was able to work on the project in locations and at times that were convenient for him. The analytics available from Cura and the Digital Factory provide Matthew with material costs and printing times to enable him to plan the production of the exoskeleton and incorporate cost reductions into new iterations.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pa5iyTwCLdo?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" style="width: 766px; height: 431px;"></iframe><h2 id="isPasted">The results</h2>Through the use of the Ultimaker S5, Krystyna&rsquo;s idea to improve her cousin&#39;s life went from concept and design to prototyping and manufacturing in just six months. Matthew has stated that without the reliability and reproducibility of the Ultimaker S5 combined with Ultimaker Digital Factory software, he would not have been able to complete the project in such a short period of time.Following the completion of the project, Krystyna, Matthew, and his team at UCLan were named the inaugural winners of the 2021 Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal at COP26.Matthew is now working with medical students at UCLan to look at how bacteria can transfer to the exoskeleton from a human body. Professors from the university&#39;s biomechanics department are also working on this project to support it from a human ergonomics perspective. They are currently working on the third-generation prototype and have manufactured a much sleeker design. After completing the first test on a human body that supports the lower limbs, the outcome was very promising and they will soon reveal this design.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1655469974115-uclan-3d-print-medical-model.webp" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">An assistive device prototype made with 3D printed parts&nbsp;In addition to Matthew&rsquo;s work within education, he has also become a chair member on the subcommittee for the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). He is now advising the international exoskeleton standards to ensure exoskeletons are manufactured safely for human use. His involvement with the ASTM has enabled him to interface with international organizations, such as Ford, Boeing, NASA, and The UK Space Agency.Through the combined efforts of Matthew and the ASTM, the technology behind exoskeletons is being introduced and taught to students in the UK and the USA. Their goal is to educate and inspire students about the human enhancing benefits of exoskeletons. To do this they have produced 5 short 10-minute episodes of interviews with industry professionals along with a design and build your own exoskeleton challenge. The challenge has been created by Matthew and this is now making introducing 3D printing into schools more accessible.Matthew hopes to see the accessibility of exoskeletons soar in the not-so-distant future. His prediction is that 3D printing will be used by everyone to replace parts at home to help them become less reliant on waiting for parts from the manufacturer.</section>

An exoskeleton is an assistive mechanical device worn externally to assist with movement or prevent injury

Matthew partnered with a local student to undertake research using the Ultimaker S5 that went on to be recognized at the UN COP26 conference.

UCLan: 3D printing award-winning medical research into exoskeletons

Director of Installation and Maintenance for VodafoneZiggo, Nicole Hoebink lives &ldquo;happily&rdquo; in Den Bosch with her husband and her 14-year-old son. Walking their dogs is one of her favorite activities to relax and clear up her mind. Nicole has a background in economics. She describes herself as very customer-centered and explains she has always been concerned with the customer and everything that revolves around it. Her approach for successful customer service? &ldquo;I work with my team to motivate them because I believe that people truly make a difference when contributing to a great customer experience.&rdquo; For her, diversity and inclusion are critical, as long as they are paired with good leadership.<h2>You have had several interesting working experiences before VodafoneZiggo. How long have you been in your latest role?</h2>I started my career in banking. Quickly I realized that I loved working with people, making things better, and delivering outstanding results. After that, I worked for a big kitchen company, where I had to implement a customer service. My start at VodafoneZiggo is actually a funny story. When I accepted Vodafone&#39;s offer, in 2016, as Head of Customer Services for B2B and B2C, we already knew about the upcoming joint venture between Vodafone and Ziggo at the end of the year. So I often heard: &quot;Nicole, you had a great job, and now you are moving to a company that is going to have a major change soon. You might not even have a job after that. What are you doing?&quot; But, typical me, I thought that integrating two massive forces like Vodafone and Ziggo was a great challenge, and I wanted to be part of it and learn from it.The Director of Customer Operations asked me to apply for the function of Installation and Maintenance Director. I was not even sure what this meant. Now, I oversee all Technicians, Supply chain, Order Fulfillment and Support departments. I love it if I can influence things to make them better - and that&#39;s what I&#39;ve been doing for four and a half years now.<h2>Give us some examples of challenging aspects of your daily tasks and how you tackle them.</h2>It is tricky to stay connected with all the technicians we have all over the Netherlands (our team has more than 1000 technicians), so we must create means for that. Most of the day, they are alone with the customer. So we developed a special app to ensure that they have easy ways to reach out to us.Another challenge is that the population of technicians is getting older, which means they sometimes have a hard time performing their tasks - digging in the ground to restore damaged cables, for example, is not easy work. So we came up with what is called the Exoskeleton. The Exoskeleton is a wearable device that works in tandem with the user. It supports shoulders and legs. We have many technicians who are fully able to work again. It doesn&#39;t replace going to the physician as it doesn&#39;t repair anything on your body. But it helps you move better without pain.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1654601438211-exoskelet.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">How has the pandemic affected your work?</h2>It was undoubtedly the most challenging situation ever. We just became indispensable: telecom providers are responsible to keep people and vital services connected. There was a massive need in both in technical capacity and customer assistance. With established home offices, children taking online lessons, and leisure reduced to virtual sessions, people naturally used more connectivity in their homes.However, servicing customers in a lockdown was a challenge. We needed to make sure customers and our colleagues were safe whenever there was onsite assistance needed. We organized several online sessions with my teams to update everyone, make sure they were safe, and inspire them, reminding our technicians they were basically the most important people in the organization at that moment, as they were the ones in the clients&rsquo; homes helping them. Understandably there were still some worries on how to minimize any risks for customers and colleagues. So we quickly organized a remote assistance department because, in several cases, the customer just needs some guidance, and the necessary aid doesn&#39;t require a visit. This way, we avoided direct contact between our technicians and the customers as much as possible.<h2>How is it for you to be a female in a male-dominated field?</h2>I don&#39;t see it as a problem or a challenge nowadays. In the beginning, I experienced difficulties, sure. The kitchen company I mentioned was very traditional, and I was one of the first women to hold a management position there. It was my first experience, and I had to work very hard to prove that I was more than capable to do this job. But once I did that, they were great and started giving me new projects and challenges. It was nice to see that it is possible to change opinions on this matter.If you are not that expressive, it can be tricky, because it is true, you have to work very hard in meetings, for example, to get people to listen to you. Within VodafoneZiggo, about 95% of all technicians are male. But when you engage in a friendly manner and make clear what to expect from you and what you expect from them, there is no problem.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1654601519868-IMG_79451.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">How can leadership enhance diversity in the workplace?</h2>Diversity is essential, at the same time the differences in character, thinking, and experiences are also important than the focus on a specific gender, color, or religion. Those are the things that make a great team, from my perspective. Coming from different backgrounds and different characters and perspectives ensures that people have distinct points of view. Even though the team of technicians are mostly male, I still feel like I&#39;m in a very diverse environment because I automatically see different personalities and histories when we work together.Diversity only works when paired with inclusion, equity, and good leadership that listens and gives people space and freedom to contribute to the team. Good leadership also motivates team members to be openminded to investigate their own biases and blind spots and educate themselves. If you create a culture where people listen and are listened to, are open for feedback, and look at their blind spots, you can do great things together.<h2>Who has been your biggest inspiration or role model throughout your career?</h2>Some people were important throughout different moments of my life. My father encouraged me to go out there, learn, and be open to doing new things. He was the one I could always call to chat about my working or private life and discuss the challenges I was facing. Then, there was this friend who inspired me to look differently at things and broaden my horizons. And there was a boss of mine whose conduct made me think, &quot;wow, that&#39;s the kind of attitude that can have a real impact in the world.&quot;I owe a lot to several different individuals regarding how they inspired and empowered me to be a better version of myself. Actually, everywhere I am, I try to look at people and observe how they act and communicate to see if I can learn from that. Any person can be inspiring for you in their distinctive way - you just have to be attentive.<h2>What would be your advice for other aspiring females in the tech environment?</h2>First of all, stay close and true to yourself. Second, listen: really, sincerely. Be curious, open, understanding. Be there to engage and inspire them. Furthermore, I always make sure that when I make a promise, to a colleague or an organization, I live up to my word. That makes you a reliable person, and I think that&#39;s very important.

Director of Installation and Maintenance for VodafoneZiggo, Nicole Hoebink lives “happily” in Den Bosch with her husband and her 14-year-old son. Walking their dogs is one of her favorite activities to relax and clear up her mind. Nicole has a background in economics.

Fe+male Tech Heroes Role Models 23 - Nicole Hoebink: 'Diversity only works when paired with inclusion, equity, and good leadership'

Many of our daily activities involve our hands&rsquo; prehensile abilities. While able-bodied people don&rsquo;t think twice when using a spoon or lifting a glass, these actions are nearly impossible for someone unable to grasp things with their fingers. Nearly 12 million people worldwide survive a stroke every year, and half of them are left with at least some limits on the use of their hands. Various portable, robotic systems as well as human-machine interfaces have been developed over the last few years to address this problem, yet they are typically too complex or expensive for daily use.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t1Nipm_wJzw?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" style="width: 768px; height: 428px;" data-gtm-yt-inspected-11="true" id="47173731"></iframe>Emovo Care has now come up with a device that is specifically designed to overcome these obstacles. The startup&rsquo;s engineers developed Emovo Grasp with the help of disabled users over the course of several years, and then improved it further through several rounds of testing in hospitals and rehabilitation centers. The company recently gained an ISO European certification needed to market their product as a medical device.<h2>The hand automatically adjusts</h2>The term &ldquo;exoskeleton&rdquo; often has daunting, futuristic connotations. In recent years, however, these devices have gotten smaller and smaller and will soon be available for regular use by those who most need them. Emovo Grasp consists of two patented, artificial tendons resembling thin cables inserted into a sheath. They attach along the back of the hand using silicon rings placed on each finger. The motor and the remote control, which lets the user adjust the force being applied, are in small, separate cases. This design frees up the palm of the hand and the tips of the fingers in order to maximize sensory input.When activated by the user, the device applies light pressure on the index then the middle finger so that they each pivot and come into contact with an object. The hand automatically adjusts its grasp on even irregularly shaped objects to ensure the most natural movement possible. Another button on the remote control gives the opposite command, so that the cables generate a pulling force that causes the fingers to straighten and release the object. The artificial, bio-inspired tendons are similar to the hand&rsquo;s natural system of muscles and tendons. &ldquo;Our design produces both gentle movements and a strong grasp,&rdquo; says CEO Luca Randazzo, who developed this technology during his thesis and postdoc at the EPFL Brain-Machine Interface and Biorobotics Laboratories. The device itself never acts on its own &ndash; the user is always in control so they can avoid dropping things or gripping at the wrong time.<blockquote>Patients could train for an extra 15 minutes each day following their standard treatment, or take the device home to continue their rehabilitation. This device is very promising because repetition is key to progress.<footer>Anne-Lise Joray-Tendon, a physiotherapist at the Centre Rencontres</footer></blockquote><h2>&ldquo;Repetition is key to progress&rdquo;</h2><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUyNzk1Mzk5MDkxLTYyOTV4NDE5OS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 768px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">&copy; 2022 Alain HerzogMore than a hundred people &ndash; patients, therapists and neurologists &ndash; provided input on Emovo Grasp through longitudinal studies and guided discussions during the device&rsquo;s development process. Recently, its benefits have been noted by neurologists and therapists at the Centre Rencontres de Courfaivre in the Jura region, and in Italy and Austria, where around 30 brain injury patients are currently participating in a clinical study. Anne-Lise Joray-Tendon, a physiotherapist at the Centre Rencontres, sees great therapeutic value in the device: &ldquo;Patients could train for an extra 15 minutes each day following their standard treatment, or take the device home to continue their rehabilitation. This device is very promising because repetition is key to progress.&rdquo;The startup is only a small part of Randazzo&rsquo;s mission. &ldquo;My sister is disabled, and I&rsquo;ve always been keen to develop simple devices that can help people in their everyday lives,&rdquo; he says. Emovo Grasp is not designed to restore full functionality to the user, but enabling a disabled person to make even a few essential movements is often a small revolution in itself.&ldquo;I remember the first time I tried this device out,&rdquo; says Balz Heusler, one of the first users. &ldquo;The next day, after seven years of complete immobility, I could move my index finger two millimeters without help &ndash; that was amazing.&rdquo; Emovo Care co-founder and COO Iselin Fr&oslash;ybu adds: &ldquo;We are still collecting data to develop reliable statistics, but patients report that after the first few uses they feel that their hand is part of their body again, whereas they used to just neglect it.&rdquo;<h2>A medical device company<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUyNzk1NDYxMDM4LWFmZTE4YTMxLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Emovo Care&#39;s Team &copy; 2022 Alain Herzog&nbsp;</h2>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re now a recognized medical device company and not just a team of engineers making cool things in their lab,&rdquo; Randazzo says with a smile. The company has sought to keep the cost of Emovo Grasp down to make it accessible to more people, and they made it easy to use so that patients can operate it on their own.Emovo Care will provide its device to clinics and research institutions interested in collaborating. And the company is currently raising funds with an eye towards a market launch next year. After that, they plan to further develop their invention. &ldquo;For example, we plan to integrate an application that compiles data to show patients where they are in the rehabilitation process,&rdquo; says Randazzo, &ldquo;and we want to add more intuitive control features, such as interpreting the patient&rsquo;s intention through brain or muscle signals.&rdquo;

Working closely with users and therapists, EPFL spin-off Emovo Care has developed a light and easy-to-attach hand exoskeleton for people unable to grasp objects following a stroke or accident. The device has been successfully tested in several hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

Exoskeleton device helps stroke victims regain hand function

In this episode, we talk about how exoskeleton technology is being leveraged to treat parkinsons and how a new approach for more efficient, personalized exoskeletons could be the catalyst for wide scale adaptation. As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/2690990e-5486-4d21-9474-be2ada6a7cd7?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe><hr>This podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://www2.mouser.com/" id="isPasted" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1650372081342-Mouser-sponsor-1-a.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr><h3 id="isPasted">EPISODE NOTES</h3>(2:53) -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/researchers-apply-exosuit-sensors-to-measure-muscle-strain" target="_blank">Exosuit Sensor For Parkinsons</a>(16:07) -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/exoskeletons-with-personalize-your-own-settings" target="_blank">Personalized Exoskeletons</a>Episode 66 was brought to you by Mouser Electronics, Farbod &amp; Daniel&rsquo;s favorite electronics distributor. Click <a href="https://www.mouser.com/applications/robotic-exoskeletons/" target="_blank">here</a> to read the article explaining exoskeleton technology.<hr>About the podcast:Every day, some of the most innovative universities, companies, and individual technology developers share their knowledge on Wevolver. To ensure we can also provide this knowledge for the growing group of podcast listeners, we started a collaboration with two young engineers, Daniel Scott Mitchell &amp; Farbod Moghaddam who discuss the most interesting content in this podcast series.&nbsp;To learn more about this show, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published.Be sure to give us a follow and review on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!Take a few seconds to leave us a review. It really helps!&nbsp;<a href="https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2" target="_blank">https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2</a>if you do it and send us proof, we&rsquo;ll give you a shoutout on the show.

MyoExo integrates a series of sensors into a wearable device capable of detecting slight changes in muscle strain and bulging, enabling it to measure and track the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Credit: Oluwaseun Araromi

In this episode, we talk about how exoskeleton technology is being leveraged to treat parkinsons and how a new approach for more efficient, personalized exoskeletons could be the catalyst for wide scale adaptation. 

Podcast: Personalized Exoskeletons & Treating Parkinson's

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1650413606925000&usg=AOvVaw16xKBtosQeG984xi1GgTmJ" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/2690990e-5486-4d21-9474-be2ada6a7cd7?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>The full article will continue below.<hr>To transform human mobility, exoskeletons need to interact seamlessly with their user, providing the right level of assistance at the right time to cooperate with our muscles as we move.&nbsp;To help achieve this, University of Michigan researchers gave users direct control to customize the behavior of an ankle exoskeleton.Not only was the process faster than the conventional approach, in which an expert would decide the settings, but it may have incorporated preferences an expert would have missed. For instance, user height and weight, which are commonly used metrics for tuning exoskeletons and robotic prostheses, had no effect on preferred settings.&ldquo;Instead of a one-size-fits-all level of power, or using measurements of muscle activity to customize an exoskeleton&rsquo;s behavior, this method uses active user feedback to shape the assistance a person receives,&rdquo; said Kim Ingraham, first author of the study in Science Robotics, and a recent mechanical engineering Ph.D. graduate.&nbsp;Experts usually tune the wide-ranging settings of powered exoskeletons to take into account the varied characteristics of human bodies, gait biomechanics and user preferences. This can be done by crunching quantifiable data, such as metabolic rate or muscle activity, to minimize the energy expended from a user, or more simply by asking the user to repeatedly compare between pairs of settings to find which feels best.What minimizes energy expenditure, however, may not be the most comfortable or useful. And asking the user to select between choices for numerous settings could be too time consuming and also obscures how those settings might interact with each other to affect the user experience.By allowing the user to directly manipulate the settings, preferences that are difficult to detect or measure could be accounted for by the users themselves. Users could quickly and independently decide what features are most important&mdash;for example, trading off comfort, power or stability, and then selecting the settings to best match those preferences without the need for an expert to retune.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ4ODIxNTc1NjQ0LWV4by02LTEwMjR4NzY4LmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">By allowing the user to directly manipulate the exoskeleton&rsquo;s settings using a tablet while on a treadmill, preferences that are difficult to detect or measure, such as comfort, could be accounted for by the users themselves. Photo: Courtesy Kim Ingraham&nbsp;&ldquo;To be able to choose and have control over how it feels is going to help with user satisfaction and adoption of these devices in the future,&rdquo; Ingraham said. &ldquo;No matter how much an exoskeleton helps, people won&rsquo;t wear them if they are not enjoyable.&rdquo;To test the feasibility of such a system, the research team outfitted users with Dephy powered ankle exoskeletons and a touch screen interface that displayed a blank grid. Selecting any point on the grid would alter the torque output of the exoskeleton on one axis, while changing the timing of that torque on the alternate axis.When told to find their preference while walking on a treadmill, the set of users who had no previous experience with an exoskeleton were, on average, able to confirm their optimal settings in about one minute, 45 seconds.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ4ODIxNjE2NTYwLWV4by0xLTEwMjR4NjgzLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Researchers were able to give the exoskeleton user direct control to tune its behavior, allowing them to find the right torque and timing settings for themselves. Photo: University of Michigan Robotics Institute&nbsp;&ldquo;We were surprised at how precisely people were able to identify their preferences, especially because they were totally blinded to everything that was happening&mdash;we didn&rsquo;t tell them what parameters they were tuning, so they were only selecting their preferences based on how they felt the device was assisting them,&rdquo; Ingraham said.In addition, user preference changed over the course of the experiment. As the first-time users gained more experience with the exoskeleton, they preferred a higher level of assistance. And, those already experienced with exoskeletons preferred a much greater level of assistance than the first-time users.&nbsp;These findings could help determine how often retuning of an exoskeleton needs to be done as a user gains experience and supports the idea of incorporating direct user input into preference for the best experience.&ldquo;This is fundamental work in exploring how to incorporate people&rsquo;s preference into exoskeleton control,&rdquo; said <a href="https://me.engin.umich.edu/people/faculty/elliott-rouse/" target="_blank">Elliott Rouse</a>, senior author of the study, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and a core faculty member of the Robotics Institute. &ldquo;This work is motivated by our desire to develop exoskeletons that go beyond the laboratory and have a transformative impact on society.&nbsp;&ldquo;Next is answering why people prefer what they prefer, and how these preferences affect their energy, their muscle activity, and their physiology, and how we could automatically implement preference-based control in the real world. It&rsquo;s important that assistive technologies provide a meaningful benefit to their user.&rdquo;

Leo Medrano, a PhD student in the Neurobionics Lab at the University of Michigan, tests out an ankle exoskeleton on a two-track treadmill. Photo: University of Michigan Robotics Institute

Users who could adjust the timing, torque of an ankle exoskeleton typically found comfortable settings in under two minutes.

Exoskeletons with personalize-your-own settings

Alexey Ledyukov, a student at ITMO’s Faculty of Control Systems and Robotics, has designed an exoskeleton that will be able to help lift up to 80 kilograms easily. At the same time, the suit itself doesn’t weigh much: you can move and even run in it freely. In this interview, Alexey shared how he managed to create his first exoskeleton while still in school and how his project can be of use to rescuers and airsoft fans.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">How did you come up with the idea to create an exoskeleton?</h2>I’ve been into robotics since the eighth grade; I made a radio-controlled tank myself at the time. Then I decided to design something more complex and tried to create an exoskeleton. My grandfather helped me – together we welded the first skeleton out of wire. We manually measured each piece, calculated everything, left marks, and welded the pieces together. So, gradually, we created our first Frankenstein. It had lots of welding scars so it looked kind of creepy. Plus, it lacked stiffness, as it was made out of binding wire. When I reassembled it, I noticed that its back was bent because of the weight.I took notes from this experience when creating my second exoskeleton – I improved the construction and added new moving points. My grandfather and I ended up building two versions; I’ve designed both passive and active exoskeletons. Now I’m working on my fifth active skeleton.<h2 dir="ltr">What is the difference between active and passive exoskeletons?</h2>An active exoskeleton has an additional energy source and it helps the person wearing it with a certain task. They’re in use in the army and the industry. Passive exoskeletons take on only part of the weight that the people wearing them have to carry.Modern active exoskeletons have an issue – they barely allow their users to move. You can’t run when wearing them, it’s hard to even walk because they are very heavy.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1632996673430-1213707.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Passive exoskeleton&nbsp;</div><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">What was the first weight you lifted using your suit? How did it feel?</h2>It was a lead car accumulator that weighed about 15-20 kilograms. I could feel its weight but for the most part, it was the skeleton that dealt with it. In general, wearing an exoskeleton is like driving – if just one screw is loose, you’ll feel it immediately.<h2 dir="ltr">Did you present your project when applying to ITMO?</h2>When I was still in school, I used to take part in the Baltic Scientific and Engineering Competition, Geek Picnic, and the Academy of Digital Technologies. Then I applied to ITMO University and Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. They noticed my project at ITMO and I was invited to be admitted, which settled my choice.<h2 dir="ltr">What was the suit like back then and what’s it like now?</h2>The second version had two key disadvantages: it was heavy and not too movable in the hip area. So I started to design a new version and learned how to make 3D models.The next prototype was more flexible for people of different sizes and supplemented by additional axes in the back area, hips, and shoulders. The exoskeleton didn’t paralyze its users that much but it still was heavy because of its steel frame.The third version weighed about 100 kilograms. The one I’m working on right now will weigh about 40-50 kilos thanks to another material, smaller size and the usage of composites.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1632996711434-1213705.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Alexey Ledyukov in the exoskeleton. Credit: Dmitry Grigoryev, ITMO.NEWS&nbsp;</div><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">What is it made of?</h2>The carcass is made out of carbon plastic, pneumatic air cylinders – out of steel and aluminum, and bearing pieces – out of hardened steel. Handles and closing elements are made of latten, ABS plastic, and fiberglass.<h2 dir="ltr">What are your further plans?</h2>The new version will be more ergonomic and technological. I used to 3D print all pieces and then manually wrap them with carbon plastic and process with a drilling machine. The new model will be molded: we’ll create a silicone form and then fill it with a two-component plastic reinforced with carbon fiber.<h2 dir="ltr">How does the exoskeleton work?</h2>When a person lifts their arm or leg, resistive pressure sensors placed in specific places are activated. That’s how the speed and direction of movement are determined. The skeleton doesn’t resist your movements – it moves its drive units in the direction specified by the sensor signals. The signal is processed and thanks to it, the valves connected to the skeleton’s drives get opened and closed. Then, when the user lifts some weight, the direction of their movement changes. The suit understands it and attempts to compensate for the effort: the user will feel the weight but won’t strain their muscles.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1632996803942-1213703.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1632996819688-1213702.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Fragments of the exoskeleton. Credit: Dmitry Grigoryev. ITMO.NEWS</div><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Who can wear it?</h2>The new model will suit people with a height of 170-190 centimeters.<h2 dir="ltr">Where can it be applied except for the industry and the army?</h2>Another field where it can be applied is rescue services. This suit is quite movable, which isn’t necessary for the industry, where it’s enough to lift weight and be quite mobile.For the rescue services, however, the suit is of great help – heavy machinery can’t reach a destroyed building until the debris is cleared up. Plus, the suit will protect the workers from falling fragments of a building or high temperatures, if it’s made fireproof.The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation is aware of our project and they suggested we test the exoskeleton at a training ground.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1632996852692-1213704.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Alexey Ledyukov in the exoskeleton. Credit: Dmitry Grigoryev, ITMO.NEWS&nbsp;</div><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">How many people are there on your team?</h2>Our team consists of six people and each has their own role. There are developers, people who come up with new ideas, and those who express and publish them.We plan to take part in the Tekhnosreda exhibition in late September. Then we’ll apply for several grants. We would also like to join the ITMO Accelerator and start small-scale production of passive exoskeletons by summer. Plus, we received an order from a client to design an airsoft suit.<h2 dir="ltr">How can it be applied in airsoft?</h2>I was surprised too when airsoft equipment companies started to contact us. The suit can be something like a tank that’s not afraid to be shot at. It’s like an imitation of a perimeter breach. Using an exoskeleton will basically make it possible to change the concept of the game that is typically about making one shot on the target.<h2 dir="ltr">Have you considered creating an exoskeleton for disabled people?</h2>I don’t have such plans. Modern medical suits are quite good but also pricey. So the developers should simply work on a way to make them more affordable.<hr>Translated by <a href="https://news.itmo.ru/en/profile/54/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kseniia Tereshchenko</a> and originally published by <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://news.itmo.ru/en/&source=gmail&ust=1633083287275000&usg=AFQjCNF_YGepF3pQv3rt8_5mPEOs9N8HdQ" href="https://news.itmo.ru/en/" target="_blank">ITMO.NEWS</a>

Alexey Ledyukov in the exoskeleton. Credit: Dmitry Grigoryev, ITMO.NEWS

Alexey Ledyukov, a student at ITMO’s Faculty of Control Systems and Robotics, has designed an exoskeleton that will be able to help lift up to 80 kilograms easily. At the same time, the suit itself doesn’t weigh much: you can move and even run in it freely.