Researchers at the ZHAW have developed with European partners a soft exoskeleton to support people with disabilities. Now they presented the prototype of the smart leggings.
After a stroke or due to other reasons, the mobility may be restricted. Concerned could one day be a new tool available to you in everyday life better to keep it in motion: Researchers to Eveline Graf and Konrad Stadler of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences have been developed with European partners a type of soft exoskeleton, a “smart” leggings called “XoSoft”, which supports the Run.
The most important components of the leggings, rubber bands, and clutches are, like the ZHAW announced on Thursday. When clamping body strength and movement of the wearer, the rubber bands, which store energy “Go”. The couplings ensure that this energy is delivered at the right Moment to the carrier, and so his movement supports.
Controller in the backpack
The right Moment, a Controller, which is the prototype in a backpack on the back of the carrier. The Controller receives from the Sensors in the leggings with the necessary information about the movement, Algorithms to interpret from this, the gait and taxes according to the couplings. These are individually placed depending on the Patient and controlled, wrote the ZHAW. XoSoft can capture, for example, if, due to a paralysis of the muscles of the foot grinds, and him at the right Moment.
Still, the prototype is not ready for the market and a need for some further development. One reason for this is that the clutches work at the moment on a compressed air generated vacuum, it was called. The combination of couplings and rubber bands will be used surely in one or the other System again and further developed, was Konrad Stadler in the message quote.
movement of scientist Eveline Graf emphasized, that such innovations are often driven by the technology and Concerned too little with einbezögen. This reduces the acceptance for such innovations. Accordingly, it is important to test runs with patients, which also took place at the ZHAW. The results flowed back again to the developer. In addition to the ZHAW four other European research groups from Italy, Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands involved in the project, as well as four commercial and clinical partners.
(aru/sda)
Created: 25.04.2019, 12:51 PM