Browsing by Author "Rose, Chad Gregory"
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Item Hardware- versus Human-centric Assessment of Rehabilitation Robots(2015-04-20) Rose, Chad Gregory; O'Malley, Marcia K.; Ghorbel, Fathi H; Dick, Andrew JIndividuals with disabilities arising from neurological injury require rehabilitation of the distal joints of the upper extremities to regain the ability to independently perform activities of daily living (ADL). Robotic rehabilitation has been shown to effectively conduct high intensity, long duration therapy and quantitatively assess the effects of therapy. This thesis presents methods and results for validating rehabilitation devices for training and assessment. Traditionally, methods for validating rehabilitation robots relied on robotic characterizations, which enables comparison of different designs' performance independent of a human user. An example of this method is presented here, in particular quantifying the torque output, range of motion, closed loop position performance, and high spatial resolution of two rehabilitation devices. However, these traditional validation methods do not assess the effect wearing the robot has on the user, and a new assessment method has been developed to address this shortcoming of traditional methods. A novel hand and wrist device was assessed through kinematic analysis of synergistic movements, as quantified by velocity- and position-dependent metrics. This experimental approach is promising for the characterization of multi-articular wearable robots as measurement tools in robotic rehabilitation. Together, the two methods presented can be used to validate rehabilitation robotic devices.Item Hybrid Rigid-Soft Exoskeleton Design(2018-11-30) Rose, Chad Gregory; O'Malley, Marcia K.This thesis presents a hybrid approach to exoskeleton design, a novel approach of combining rigid and compliant elements to create capable, wearable devices. An assistive hand exoskeleton has been designed with this hybrid approach to return the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and improve quality of life (QOL) for a broad population with hand impairment. This compliant, glove-like exoskeleton resides on the spectrum between traditional rigid devices and the latest soft robotic designs. The device is underactuated, enabling seven hand poses which support most ADLs. The design of the softgoods includes novel ergonomic elements for power transmission and features that ease donning and doffing. Wearable sensors enable pose estimation and intent detection. The SeptaPose Assistive RoboGlove (SPAR Glove) is a prototype wearable solution to overcoming hand impairment. In addition to its role as an assistive orthosis, this exoskeleton has the potential to provide “hands-in” rehabilitation centered on performing functional tasks. Component-level characterization of the device, such as the force output, range of motion, and the efficacy of the power transmission, show that the SPAR Glove exceeds the requirements of ADLs and the capabilities of state-ofthe- art devices. System-level feedback from users performing simulated ADL suggests that the SPAR Glove has potential to impact QOL and indicated further directions for development. The SPAR Glove design can serve in a broad assistive role and as a testbed for assistive device design, intent detection and user interface research.