A novel five degree of freedom user command controller in people with spinal cord injury and non-injured for full upper extremity neuroprostheses, wearable powered orthoses and prosthetics

Systematic Analysis of a Military Wearable Device Based on a Multi-Level Fusion Framework: Research Directions

With the development of the Internet of Battlefield Things (IoBT), soldiers have become key nodes of information collection and resource control on the battlefield. It has become a trend to develop wearable devices with diverse functions for the military. However, although densely deployed wearable sensors provide a platform for comprehensively monitoring the status of soldiers, wearable technology based on multi-source fusion lacks a generalized research system to highlight the advantages of heterogeneous sensor networks and information fusion. Therefore, this paper proposes a multi-level fusion framework (MLFF) based on Body Sensor Networks (BSNs) of soldiers, and describes a model of the deployment of heterogeneous sensor networks. The proposed framework covers multiple types of information at a single node, including behaviors, physiology, emotions, fatigue, environments, and locations, so as to enable Soldier-BSNs to obtain sufficient evidence, decision-making ability, and information resilience under resource constraints. In addition, we systematically discuss the problems and solutions of each unit according to the frame structure to identify research directions for the development of wearable devices for the military.

Playskin Lift: Development and Initial Testing of an Exoskeletal Garment to Assist Upper Extremity Mobility and Function

BACKGROUND

A person's ability to move his or her arms against gravity is important for independent performance of critical activities of daily living and for exploration that facilitates early cognitive, language, social, and perceptual-motor development. Children with a variety of diagnoses have difficulty moving their arms against gravity.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this technical report is to detail the design process and initial testing of a novel exoskeletal garment, the Playskin Lift, that assists and encourages children to lift their arms against gravity.

DESIGN

This report details the design theory and process, the device, and the results of field testing with a toddler with impaired upper extremity function due to arthrogryposis multiplex congenita.

RESULTS

The Playskin Lift is an inexpensive (<$30 material costs), easy to use (5/5 rating), comfortable (5/5 rating), and attractive (4/5 rating) device. While wearing the device, the child was able to contact objects more often throughout an increased play space, to look at toys more while contacting them, and to perform more complex interactions with toys.

LIMITATIONS

This report details initial testing with one child. Future testing with more participants is recommended.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that by considering the broad needs of users, including cost, accessibility, comfort, aesthetics, and function, we can design inexpensive devices that families and clinicians can potentially fabricate in their own communities to improve function, participation, exploration, and learning for children with disabilities.

Sensitivity analysis of a novel five-degrees-of-freedom user command controller in people with spinal cord injury and non-injured for full upper extremity neuroprosthesis, wearable powered orthoses and prosthetics

Sensitivity analysis for a user command controller monitoring head position for artificial control of the proximal upper limb was performed. The controller was evaluated by having subjects complete target matching tasks manipulating a simulated on-screen hand representation to investigate the effects of target location and target speed on performance. Sixteen subjects took part in the study, 11 of whom had sustained cervical spinal cord injuries. The subjects were able to control the on-screen hand with overall low sensitivity of performance with the controller to target position in its five-degrees-of-freedom. The optimal speed was found to be a compromise between low speed and high accuracy but longer completion time and fast speed for short completion time with lower accuracy. The results demonstrated the robustness of the controller across a population of non-injured subjects and those with tetraplegia.