Pub Date : 2025-03-26DOI: 10.1109/TMRB.2025.3553221
Rafael Perez-San Lazaro;Rita Q. Fuentes-Aguilar;Isaac Chairez
Exoskeletons used for rehabilitation must operate together with the patient to adapt to the biomechanical-inspired movements of the regular human gait cycle rather than operate by following a predefined trajectory without considering the human-robot interaction effects. This work presents the assessment of a lower limb exoskeleton whose motion is performed according to a collaborative approach given the movements of the human user and the relative force concerning the exoskeleton structure. The Opensim™ software serves to define the force and position reference trajectories to follow during the gait cycle, which serves as a reference for the hybrid control. These forces and movements are compared to the results of a virtual model that considers the interaction between the user and the exoskeleton in two possible scenarios. The first scenario contemplates the implementation of a position controller to generate interaction-independent movement of the exoskeleton. The second scenario considers the force exerted by the exoskeleton on the patient to trigger a force-based controller after trespassing a predefined value. This leads to a hybrid control scheme, which considers the position restrictions in the closed-loop feedback control strategy. Using this approach, the exoskeleton can collaborate actively with the user and provide motion as required, responding to position-controlled motion if the user is not opposed to the exoskeleton motion. This novel strategy permits the evaluation of a hybrid position-force controller for wearing the active orthosis. Numeric simulations show the performance of the proposed system. These outcomes confirm the supposed advantages of the proposed controller.
{"title":"Human-Robot Cooperative Adaptive Reinforcement Constraint Control for a Lower Limb Rehabilitation Exoskeleton Based on User’s Movement Intention","authors":"Rafael Perez-San Lazaro;Rita Q. Fuentes-Aguilar;Isaac Chairez","doi":"10.1109/TMRB.2025.3553221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2025.3553221","url":null,"abstract":"Exoskeletons used for rehabilitation must operate together with the patient to adapt to the biomechanical-inspired movements of the regular human gait cycle rather than operate by following a predefined trajectory without considering the human-robot interaction effects. This work presents the assessment of a lower limb exoskeleton whose motion is performed according to a collaborative approach given the movements of the human user and the relative force concerning the exoskeleton structure. The Opensim™ software serves to define the force and position reference trajectories to follow during the gait cycle, which serves as a reference for the hybrid control. These forces and movements are compared to the results of a virtual model that considers the interaction between the user and the exoskeleton in two possible scenarios. The first scenario contemplates the implementation of a position controller to generate interaction-independent movement of the exoskeleton. The second scenario considers the force exerted by the exoskeleton on the patient to trigger a force-based controller after trespassing a predefined value. This leads to a hybrid control scheme, which considers the position restrictions in the closed-loop feedback control strategy. Using this approach, the exoskeleton can collaborate actively with the user and provide motion as required, responding to position-controlled motion if the user is not opposed to the exoskeleton motion. This novel strategy permits the evaluation of a hybrid position-force controller for wearing the active orthosis. Numeric simulations show the performance of the proposed system. These outcomes confirm the supposed advantages of the proposed controller.","PeriodicalId":73318,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics","volume":"7 2","pages":"607-620"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144084737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-23DOI: 10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573068
S. Arastehfar;A. Jalalian;I. Gibson;F. E. H. Tay;G. Liu
Little attention has been paid to how scoliosis movements deviate from intact spines and the consequent response to surgical instrumentation. Embedding such deviations into scoliosis simulation models can significantly improve their predictive capability for surgical outcome and to mitigate complication risks and thus bring more satisfaction to patients and clinicians. Scoliosis models are mainly intact spine models adapted by merely adjusting model parameters to produce scoliotic-like asymmetry, overlooking that the scoliosis condition results in significant deviations of movements. Thus, these adapted models might provide misleading predictive information. This paper aims to uncover the behaviors emerging out of scoliotic spine movements for simulation. A multibody model with micro-scale motion segments was utilized to study movement of nine adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients. Statistical analysis was used to identify the shared movement behavior and to test their significance in terms of occurrence and their effects on the simulation results and prediction accuracy. Four movement behaviors were uncovered: (1) negligible change of spinal length, (2) bounded rotational displacements, (3) unilateral rotational displacements of certain vertebrae, (4) negligible rotational displacements around inflection vertebrae. Simulation results were improved significantly by incorporating these findings: location and orientation errors of vertebrae from $2.9pm 2$ .5 mm to $1.1pm 0$ .4 mm and $2.0pm 1.3^{circ }$ to $1.0pm 0.4^{circ }$ , respectively, approximation error of spine curvature from $2.1pm 2$ .0 mm to $0.6pm 0$ .3 mm. Therefore, scoliosis exhibits unique movements, and it is essential that scoliosis models comply for improved predictive capability.
{"title":"Anatomically Accurate Modeling of Spine Movement to Depict the Scoliosis Condition","authors":"S. Arastehfar;A. Jalalian;I. Gibson;F. E. H. Tay;G. Liu","doi":"10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573068","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573068","url":null,"abstract":"Little attention has been paid to how scoliosis movements deviate from intact spines and the consequent response to surgical instrumentation. Embedding such deviations into scoliosis simulation models can significantly improve their predictive capability for surgical outcome and to mitigate complication risks and thus bring more satisfaction to patients and clinicians. Scoliosis models are mainly intact spine models adapted by merely adjusting model parameters to produce scoliotic-like asymmetry, overlooking that the scoliosis condition results in significant deviations of movements. Thus, these adapted models might provide misleading predictive information. This paper aims to uncover the behaviors emerging out of scoliotic spine movements for simulation. A multibody model with micro-scale motion segments was utilized to study movement of nine adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients. Statistical analysis was used to identify the shared movement behavior and to test their significance in terms of occurrence and their effects on the simulation results and prediction accuracy. Four movement behaviors were uncovered: (1) negligible change of spinal length, (2) bounded rotational displacements, (3) unilateral rotational displacements of certain vertebrae, (4) negligible rotational displacements around inflection vertebrae. Simulation results were improved significantly by incorporating these findings: location and orientation errors of vertebrae from <inline-formula> <tex-math>$2.9pm 2$ </tex-math></inline-formula>.5 mm to <inline-formula> <tex-math>$1.1pm 0$ </tex-math></inline-formula>.4 mm and <inline-formula> <tex-math>$2.0pm 1.3^{circ }$ </tex-math></inline-formula> to <inline-formula> <tex-math>$1.0pm 0.4^{circ }$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, respectively, approximation error of spine curvature from <inline-formula> <tex-math>$2.1pm 2$ </tex-math></inline-formula>.0 mm to <inline-formula> <tex-math>$0.6pm 0$ </tex-math></inline-formula>.3 mm. Therefore, scoliosis exhibits unique movements, and it is essential that scoliosis models comply for improved predictive capability.","PeriodicalId":73318,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics","volume":"7 3","pages":"985-992"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-23DOI: 10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573053
Tuukka Panula;Bruno Rosa;Salzitsa Anastasova-Ivanova;Matti Kaisti;Benny Lo
The traditional method of performing a colonoscopy requires a trained physician operating the instrument manually. There is no proper feedback to aid the user in the process and typically the physician has to rely solely on the camera output to guide the endoscope. This method can lead to discomfort or even colon perforation due to the elongated endoscope scratching or tearing the colon tissue. To address this issue and enable spatial awareness to the instrument, we propose a modular multi-sensor system that integrates bending, pressure, and motion sensing units into the endoscope. All sensors are manufactured using inexpensive off-the-shelf components. The proposed sensor system was characterized on a robotic test bench and validated in a colon phantom study. The results demonstrate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed sensor fusion approach in colonoscopy which has the potential for safer and more effective inspection of the bowels. The introduction of these sensing modalities to an endoscope paves the way for AI-assisted and possibly autonomous colonoscopy in the future.
{"title":"Multi-Sensory System for Spatially Aware Colonoscopy","authors":"Tuukka Panula;Bruno Rosa;Salzitsa Anastasova-Ivanova;Matti Kaisti;Benny Lo","doi":"10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573053","url":null,"abstract":"The traditional method of performing a colonoscopy requires a trained physician operating the instrument manually. There is no proper feedback to aid the user in the process and typically the physician has to rely solely on the camera output to guide the endoscope. This method can lead to discomfort or even colon perforation due to the elongated endoscope scratching or tearing the colon tissue. To address this issue and enable spatial awareness to the instrument, we propose a modular multi-sensor system that integrates bending, pressure, and motion sensing units into the endoscope. All sensors are manufactured using inexpensive off-the-shelf components. The proposed sensor system was characterized on a robotic test bench and validated in a colon phantom study. The results demonstrate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed sensor fusion approach in colonoscopy which has the potential for safer and more effective inspection of the bowels. The introduction of these sensing modalities to an endoscope paves the way for AI-assisted and possibly autonomous colonoscopy in the future.","PeriodicalId":73318,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics","volume":"7 3","pages":"975-984"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=11012729","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-23DOI: 10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573034
Gang Zhang;Fuxin Du;Peng Qi;Han Zeng;Xingyao Zhang;Yibin Li;Rui Song
Combining different types of continuum manipulators is a potential strategy to overcome the limitations of continuum manipulators. In this paper, a high-accuracy hybrid continuum manipulator (HCM) consisting of a notch continuum manipulator section and a concentric tube manipulator section is proposed. The static model of the manipulator is established, and an optimization algorithm of the manipulator has been carried out to enhance the precision of the kinematic model. This algorithm can optimize the accuracy of the model while retaining the high computational speed. Then, three different modes, namely the trajectory planning mode, operation mode, and hybrid mode are introduced to cater to distinct surgical requirements. The mechanical structure of the HCM is specifically designed to realize the modes above. The experimental results demonstrate a repetition positioning error of 0.4745 mm and an operation error of 1.7801 mm. The kinematic model error of the optimized manipulator was reduced by 77.4% compared to its pre-optimization state. Finally, the feasibility of the manipulator is demonstrated through function testing experiments. The proposed manipulator design provides a more versatile and adaptable solution to meet the diverse requirements of surgical procedures.
{"title":"A Hybrid Continuum Manipulator for Minimally Invasive Surgery: Design, Modeling, and Validation","authors":"Gang Zhang;Fuxin Du;Peng Qi;Han Zeng;Xingyao Zhang;Yibin Li;Rui Song","doi":"10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573034","url":null,"abstract":"Combining different types of continuum manipulators is a potential strategy to overcome the limitations of continuum manipulators. In this paper, a high-accuracy hybrid continuum manipulator (HCM) consisting of a notch continuum manipulator section and a concentric tube manipulator section is proposed. The static model of the manipulator is established, and an optimization algorithm of the manipulator has been carried out to enhance the precision of the kinematic model. This algorithm can optimize the accuracy of the model while retaining the high computational speed. Then, three different modes, namely the trajectory planning mode, operation mode, and hybrid mode are introduced to cater to distinct surgical requirements. The mechanical structure of the HCM is specifically designed to realize the modes above. The experimental results demonstrate a repetition positioning error of 0.4745 mm and an operation error of 1.7801 mm. The kinematic model error of the optimized manipulator was reduced by 77.4% compared to its pre-optimization state. Finally, the feasibility of the manipulator is demonstrated through function testing experiments. The proposed manipulator design provides a more versatile and adaptable solution to meet the diverse requirements of surgical procedures.","PeriodicalId":73318,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics","volume":"7 3","pages":"1317-1328"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-23DOI: 10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573049
Song Zhou;Chunlin Zhou;Jinze Shi;Honghai Ma;Zhehao He;Luming Wang;Jian Hu
Minimally Invasive Surgeries (MIS) present significant challenges due to the limited field of view (FOV), constrained motion range, and the reliance on manual endoscope operation, which can lead to fatigue and unstable imaging. Robotic-assisted endoscope systems address these issues by providing precise, stabilized positioning with constrained motion control. In this work, we propose a control framework for a robotic endoscope holder, incorporating a training-free method based on lightweight foundational segmentation models for surgical instrument localization, and a Quadratic Programming (QP) controller for motion planning under constraints. The framework ensures adherence to the Remote Center of Motion (RCM) constraint for patient safety, while image-based visual servoing enables real-time autonomous tracking of surgical instruments. The proposed method is validated using a 7-DOF Rokae Pro3 robotic arm with a rigid endoscope, achieving real-time performance with an RCM error consistently within 4.49 mm and smooth trajectory tracking. Experimental results demonstrate the framework’s effectiveness in addressing the challenges of constrained motion planning in MIS, enabling safe, precise, and autonomous endoscope positioning and instrument tracking.
{"title":"A Control Framework for a Robotic Endoscope Holder Based on Lightweight Foundational Segmentation Models","authors":"Song Zhou;Chunlin Zhou;Jinze Shi;Honghai Ma;Zhehao He;Luming Wang;Jian Hu","doi":"10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573049","url":null,"abstract":"Minimally Invasive Surgeries (MIS) present significant challenges due to the limited field of view (FOV), constrained motion range, and the reliance on manual endoscope operation, which can lead to fatigue and unstable imaging. Robotic-assisted endoscope systems address these issues by providing precise, stabilized positioning with constrained motion control. In this work, we propose a control framework for a robotic endoscope holder, incorporating a training-free method based on lightweight foundational segmentation models for surgical instrument localization, and a Quadratic Programming (QP) controller for motion planning under constraints. The framework ensures adherence to the Remote Center of Motion (RCM) constraint for patient safety, while image-based visual servoing enables real-time autonomous tracking of surgical instruments. The proposed method is validated using a 7-DOF Rokae Pro3 robotic arm with a rigid endoscope, achieving real-time performance with an RCM error consistently within 4.49 mm and smooth trajectory tracking. Experimental results demonstrate the framework’s effectiveness in addressing the challenges of constrained motion planning in MIS, enabling safe, precise, and autonomous endoscope positioning and instrument tracking.","PeriodicalId":73318,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics","volume":"7 3","pages":"962-974"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-23DOI: 10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573032
Francesco Pascucci;Emanuele Feola;Paola Cesari;Andrea Calanca
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are still today one of the primary health risks for workers worldwide. Adopting exoskeletons is emerging as a preventive measure in alleviating the musculoskeletal system’s workload. This work investigates the effect of a semi-active exoskeleton, a new class of wearable devices, in a simulated industrial environment. The study found a consistent decrease in the average activity of the Anterior Deltoid, Upper Trapezius, and Rectus Abdominis in four different material handling and lifting tasks when the exoskeleton was used. Using the exoskeleton to move a weight between two shelves reduced the activity of 10 measured muscles belonging to the arm and trunk, with a notable 42.6% reduction for the Anterior Deltoid and 46.4% for the Upper Trapezius. The study also showed reduced peak force and slower lifting motion, potentially decreasing the likelihood of WRMSDs. Lastly, using the exoskeleton did not require additional cognitive exertion from the subjects, who also consistently reported a 44.9% reduction in their perceived Effort and a 34.0% reduction in Physical Demand. Despite some negative feedback regarding limited mobility, the study demonstrated the potential of semi-active exoskeletons, achieving good results in tasks and with weights where passive upper-limb exoskeletons are not typically used.
{"title":"Evaluation of a Semi-Active Upper-Limb Exoskeleton While Performing Material Handling Tasks","authors":"Francesco Pascucci;Emanuele Feola;Paola Cesari;Andrea Calanca","doi":"10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573032","url":null,"abstract":"Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are still today one of the primary health risks for workers worldwide. Adopting exoskeletons is emerging as a preventive measure in alleviating the musculoskeletal system’s workload. This work investigates the effect of a semi-active exoskeleton, a new class of wearable devices, in a simulated industrial environment. The study found a consistent decrease in the average activity of the Anterior Deltoid, Upper Trapezius, and Rectus Abdominis in four different material handling and lifting tasks when the exoskeleton was used. Using the exoskeleton to move a weight between two shelves reduced the activity of 10 measured muscles belonging to the arm and trunk, with a notable 42.6% reduction for the Anterior Deltoid and 46.4% for the Upper Trapezius. The study also showed reduced peak force and slower lifting motion, potentially decreasing the likelihood of WRMSDs. Lastly, using the exoskeleton did not require additional cognitive exertion from the subjects, who also consistently reported a 44.9% reduction in their perceived Effort and a 34.0% reduction in Physical Demand. Despite some negative feedback regarding limited mobility, the study demonstrated the potential of semi-active exoskeletons, achieving good results in tasks and with weights where passive upper-limb exoskeletons are not typically used.","PeriodicalId":73318,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics","volume":"7 3","pages":"1152-1163"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-23DOI: 10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573025
Benjamin A. Miller;Varun R. Bharadwaj;Chao Jiang;Vesna D. Novak
A robotic rehabilitation gym is a venue where multiple patients perform motor rehabilitation as a group using multiple robots. Such gyms produce positive outcomes, but it can be hard to create patient-robot assignment schedules that maximize patient skill improvement during exercise sessions. We thus present a neural-network-informed scheduler methodology that monitors patient exercise performance and dynamically assigns patients to robots based on their performance. These schedulers were trained and tested using synthetic datasets from a simulated rehabilitation gym. They were evaluated in 36 scenarios that differed in several ways (e.g., number of robots/patients, degree of stochasticity). Results showed that our neural-network-informed schedulers led to greater mean skill improvement compared to several baseline schedulers (e.g., only switching robots once). Additionally, the outcome difference between neural-network-informed schedulers and baseline schedulers increased as skill improvement became more stochastic. We also performed secondary studies where we showed that our schedulers still outperform baselines when patients can arrive or leave midsession and analyzed how the training dataset size affects scheduler performance. While several limitations need to be addressed before the scheduler is ready for use in real-world gyms, our study represents a step toward the use of artificial intelligence for patient monitoring in group settings.
{"title":"Dynamic Patient-Robot Assignment in a Simulated Stochastic Robotic Rehabilitation Gym","authors":"Benjamin A. Miller;Varun R. Bharadwaj;Chao Jiang;Vesna D. Novak","doi":"10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2025.3573025","url":null,"abstract":"A robotic rehabilitation gym is a venue where multiple patients perform motor rehabilitation as a group using multiple robots. Such gyms produce positive outcomes, but it can be hard to create patient-robot assignment schedules that maximize patient skill improvement during exercise sessions. We thus present a neural-network-informed scheduler methodology that monitors patient exercise performance and dynamically assigns patients to robots based on their performance. These schedulers were trained and tested using synthetic datasets from a simulated rehabilitation gym. They were evaluated in 36 scenarios that differed in several ways (e.g., number of robots/patients, degree of stochasticity). Results showed that our neural-network-informed schedulers led to greater mean skill improvement compared to several baseline schedulers (e.g., only switching robots once). Additionally, the outcome difference between neural-network-informed schedulers and baseline schedulers increased as skill improvement became more stochastic. We also performed secondary studies where we showed that our schedulers still outperform baselines when patients can arrive or leave midsession and analyzed how the training dataset size affects scheduler performance. While several limitations need to be addressed before the scheduler is ready for use in real-world gyms, our study represents a step toward the use of artificial intelligence for patient monitoring in group settings.","PeriodicalId":73318,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics","volume":"7 3","pages":"1139-1151"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144887793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-19DOI: 10.1109/TMRB.2025.3552924
I-Chieh Lee;Ming Liu;He Huang
Clear and effective communication between humans and robots is crucial when they work closely together. As wearable robots become more intelligent and automated, anticipatory control is limited for amputees because they lack prior knowledge of the timing and nature of changes in the robot’s motion, making human-machine collaboration more challenging. This study addresses the need for improved wearable robot transparency by enhancing a prosthetic controller to provide users with advanced notifications of locomotion mode changes. Five transfemoral amputees (TFA) wore our designed knee prosthesis and walked on a treadmill. We simulated a terrain misrecognition error by switching the locomotion mode from treadmill walking to stair ascent. Our study focused on three main questions: 1) What is the ideal timing that the TFAs need to mitigate for machine errors? 2) How do TFAs compensate for prosthetic knee errors? And 3) How does the robotic prosthetic leg respond to the TFAs’ corrective actions? We found that the enhanced transparency system helps TFAs anticipate changes and adjust their gait to compensate for the terrain misrecognition error. Specifically, providing notifications about 650 milliseconds before a locomotion mode change significantly reduced the effect of robot errors. Although the error compensation from TFAs resulted in a larger magnitude of error induced by the prosthetic knee, the TFAs were able to tolerate it and improve balance stability. According to questionnaires on user preferences, with notification of prosthetic knee motion, the TFAs could trust the device more even though the devices might have occasional errors. This study demonstrates that simple notifications of the robot’s movement intent enhance the predictability of prosthetic motion, facilitating anticipatory adjustments that improve safety and user trust.
{"title":"Enhancing Robot Transparency in Human–Robot Prosthesis Interaction to Mitigate Terrain Misrecognition Error","authors":"I-Chieh Lee;Ming Liu;He Huang","doi":"10.1109/TMRB.2025.3552924","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2025.3552924","url":null,"abstract":"Clear and effective communication between humans and robots is crucial when they work closely together. As wearable robots become more intelligent and automated, anticipatory control is limited for amputees because they lack prior knowledge of the timing and nature of changes in the robot’s motion, making human-machine collaboration more challenging. This study addresses the need for improved wearable robot transparency by enhancing a prosthetic controller to provide users with advanced notifications of locomotion mode changes. Five transfemoral amputees (TFA) wore our designed knee prosthesis and walked on a treadmill. We simulated a terrain misrecognition error by switching the locomotion mode from treadmill walking to stair ascent. Our study focused on three main questions: 1) What is the ideal timing that the TFAs need to mitigate for machine errors? 2) How do TFAs compensate for prosthetic knee errors? And 3) How does the robotic prosthetic leg respond to the TFAs’ corrective actions? We found that the enhanced transparency system helps TFAs anticipate changes and adjust their gait to compensate for the terrain misrecognition error. Specifically, providing notifications about 650 milliseconds before a locomotion mode change significantly reduced the effect of robot errors. Although the error compensation from TFAs resulted in a larger magnitude of error induced by the prosthetic knee, the TFAs were able to tolerate it and improve balance stability. According to questionnaires on user preferences, with notification of prosthetic knee motion, the TFAs could trust the device more even though the devices might have occasional errors. This study demonstrates that simple notifications of the robot’s movement intent enhance the predictability of prosthetic motion, facilitating anticipatory adjustments that improve safety and user trust.","PeriodicalId":73318,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics","volume":"7 2","pages":"734-742"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143949131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-19DOI: 10.1109/TMRB.2025.3550661
Shanpu Fang;Riley J. Shepard;Collin D. Bowersock;Zachary F. Lerner
Motor-powered ankle exoskeletons have been shown to improve walking and rehabilitation outcomes in individuals with and without gait impairments (e.g., cerebral palsy (CP)). To date, ankle exoskeleton designs have either placed the motors on the shanks (direct or quasi-direct drive) or around the waist with Bowden cable transmissions. The former offers better transmission efficiency, while the latter reduces added mass biomechanical penalty. The biomechanical effects of motor placement may be magnified for individuals with CP due to weakened lower limb strength. To date, no study has compared how motor placement alters the biomechanical responses and user perceptions of individuals with or without gait impairment (e.g., CP). In this study involving 7 individuals with CP and 9 unimpaired individuals, we compared their metabolic cost of transport, lower limb muscle activities, and user perceptions when using ankle exoskeletons with either waist-mounted motors (and Bowden cables) or shank-mounted motors that were otherwise identical. Despite changes in lower leg muscle recruitment, results showed no statistical differences in the metabolic cost of transport. Shank-mounted motors were preferred by more participants in both cohorts (e.g., 6/7 in CP). These results help inform the ergonomics and mechanical designs of ankle exoskeletons and how they may be perceived.
{"title":"Effects of Ankle Exoskeleton Motor Location on Gait Biomechanics and User Perceptions: The Bowden Cable Dilemma","authors":"Shanpu Fang;Riley J. Shepard;Collin D. Bowersock;Zachary F. Lerner","doi":"10.1109/TMRB.2025.3550661","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2025.3550661","url":null,"abstract":"Motor-powered ankle exoskeletons have been shown to improve walking and rehabilitation outcomes in individuals with and without gait impairments (e.g., cerebral palsy (CP)). To date, ankle exoskeleton designs have either placed the motors on the shanks (direct or quasi-direct drive) or around the waist with Bowden cable transmissions. The former offers better transmission efficiency, while the latter reduces added mass biomechanical penalty. The biomechanical effects of motor placement may be magnified for individuals with CP due to weakened lower limb strength. To date, no study has compared how motor placement alters the biomechanical responses and user perceptions of individuals with or without gait impairment (e.g., CP). In this study involving 7 individuals with CP and 9 unimpaired individuals, we compared their metabolic cost of transport, lower limb muscle activities, and user perceptions when using ankle exoskeletons with either waist-mounted motors (and Bowden cables) or shank-mounted motors that were otherwise identical. Despite changes in lower leg muscle recruitment, results showed no statistical differences in the metabolic cost of transport. Shank-mounted motors were preferred by more participants in both cohorts (e.g., 6/7 in CP). These results help inform the ergonomics and mechanical designs of ankle exoskeletons and how they may be perceived.","PeriodicalId":73318,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics","volume":"7 2","pages":"699-710"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144073146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The traditional minimally invasive surgical (MIS) robots generally have bulk leader manipulators with relatively fixed working positions, which limits their further utilization in special scenarios, such as remote surgeries. This study proposes a compact and foldable leader device based on passive binocular near-infrared (NIR) optical navigation technology for MIS robots, which does not need mechanical arm linkage constraints and provides a larger range of position and orientation tracking, enabling the surgeons to perform continuous leader-follower manipulations more steadily. Moreover, the polyhedral and foldable structure of the optical leader device further reduces the spatial footprint of the MIS robot. A prototype of the optical leader devices was constructed with a weight of 186 g. Its performance was then evaluated through testing, and the maximum average absolute error in position and orientation tracking was 0.90 mm and 0.45°, respectively. Additionally, the prototype exhibits acceptable stability and a wide range of position and orientation tracking. The leader device features a compact, foldable structure with enhanced portability and excellent position and orientation tracking capabilities, facilitating precise surgical maneuvers of surgeons in scenarios of remote surgeries.
{"title":"Design and Analysis of a Compact and Foldable Master Device Based on Binocular Near-Infrared Optical Navigation Technology for Minimally Invasive Surgery Robots","authors":"Lizhi Pan;Xu Jiang;Zhikang Ma;Bo Guan;Bo Yi;Jianchang Zhao","doi":"10.1109/TMRB.2025.3550659","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TMRB.2025.3550659","url":null,"abstract":"The traditional minimally invasive surgical (MIS) robots generally have bulk leader manipulators with relatively fixed working positions, which limits their further utilization in special scenarios, such as remote surgeries. This study proposes a compact and foldable leader device based on passive binocular near-infrared (NIR) optical navigation technology for MIS robots, which does not need mechanical arm linkage constraints and provides a larger range of position and orientation tracking, enabling the surgeons to perform continuous leader-follower manipulations more steadily. Moreover, the polyhedral and foldable structure of the optical leader device further reduces the spatial footprint of the MIS robot. A prototype of the optical leader devices was constructed with a weight of 186 g. Its performance was then evaluated through testing, and the maximum average absolute error in position and orientation tracking was 0.90 mm and 0.45°, respectively. Additionally, the prototype exhibits acceptable stability and a wide range of position and orientation tracking. The leader device features a compact, foldable structure with enhanced portability and excellent position and orientation tracking capabilities, facilitating precise surgical maneuvers of surgeons in scenarios of remote surgeries.","PeriodicalId":73318,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics","volume":"7 2","pages":"514-527"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144084800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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