Starting date: April the 10th 2019
Duration: 20 months

 
Project category

OPTION 1: develop a benchmarking solution for one specific benchmarking scenario including one or more outcomes: testbed, software routines and/or experimental datasets.

 
Application

Wearable robots

 
Outcome

Testbed

 
Team:

COORDINATOR:

  • Università degli Studi Niccolò Cusano (Italy)

Partner 2:

  • Università degli Studi della Tuscia (Italy)

Partner 3:

  • Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù (Italy)
Abstract
The proposal is applying for OPTION 1 of FSTP – 1 Open Call, addressing the benchmarking scenario “Walking/Standing on a moving surface”. The project aims also to adapt consolidated equilibrium assessment techniques to benchmark the exoskeleton efficacy in assisting both static and dynamic body balance. In order to achieve the mentioned Outcome, the proposed Testbed will be equipped with an upgraded version of the 3-DOF parallel robot Roto.BiT 3D, impedance controllable and capable to rotate the foot support along roll -pitch- yaw axes.
 
The Testbed will be capable to implement the widely used testing protocols, and correspondent performance score indices for the assessment of equilibrium control capability, proposed and validated in scientific literature. In addition, the impedance control feature will allow to experiment specific testing protocols for the characterization of the balancing response to perturbations that simulate daily live scenarios.
 
The last version of the device has been rigorously characterized in terms measurement accuracy
thanks to the specific technical background of the consortium partners, and it is currently at a level of readiness equal to TRL7. The experience with previous versions of Roto.BiT 3D allows to assure a strong system reliability and full functionality for a long time period (>5 years). The last version of the device, in fact, is currently installed at the lab “Polo Tecnologico” of Fondazione don Gnocchi of Milan, and it is used by local staff of the rehabilitation institute without the need of intervention or support from technical personnel. Last, but not least, taking into account that the device is capable to support the entire weight and inertia of the subject wearing the exoskeleton, the overall cost is reduced thanks to the original design and the extensive use of off -the- shelf mechanical parts.