Investigating musculoskeletal implications of wearing a soft exosuit

• Grant number: 15/02116-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): May 30, 2015
• Effective date (End): May 29, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Anamaria Siriani de Oliveira
• Grantee: Denise Martineli Rossi
• Supervisor: Conor J. Walsh
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/09485-0 - Scapular dyskinesis study by principal component analysis applied to 3-dimensional kinematics scapulotoracic data, BP.DR

Abstract

Background: Research about lower limb exoskeletons has increased a lot over the years. The exoskeleton has been designed to enhance gait abilities in healthy individuals, elders and patients with gait disorders. Among the available exoskeletons, researches at Harvard are pioneering a new class of devices, described as soft lower-extremity robotic exosuits. Considering the encouraging and promising results of the exosuit to date, and the complexity of the locomotor system using this device from a biomechanical point of view, it suggests the need to conduct further analysis.Objectives: to analyze the kinematic of the lower limb, and to analyze muscle activity by means of sEMG activity of the lower limbs during the gait in healthy individuals carrying a load and wearing the exosuit.Methods: Twenty healthy experienced load carriers will be assessed. The participants will be asked to walk on a treadmill as well overground and on uneven terrains. Participants will be walking at different ranges of walking speed in the range of 1.2-1.8 m/s while carrying load ranging from 30% to 50% of their body weight. Kinematic data of the lower limb during the gait will be collect, and after it will be processed by PCA. Moreover, signal sEMG will be analyzed to following muscles: gastrocnemius medialis, soleus, tibialis anterior, gluteos maximus, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and biceps femoris. Differences among the test conditions during the gait will be compared. Differences will be assumed significant when p<0.05.Expect results: To provide a deeper understanding of how human subjects load carriers interact with wearable robotic systems, and help to quantify the biomechanical effects of assistance with a lower extremity soft exosuit. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

QUINLIVAN, B. T.; LEE, S.; MALCOLM, P.; ROSSI, D. M.; GRIMMER, M.; SIVIY, C.; KARAVAS, N.; WAGNER, D.; ASBECK, A.; GALIANA, I.; et al. Assistance magnitude versus metabolic cost reductions for a tethered multiarticular soft exosuit. SCIENCE ROBOTICS, v. 2, n. 2, JAN 18 2017. (15/02116-1)

PANIZZOLO, FAUSTO A.; LEE, SANGJUN; MIYATAKE, TAIRA; ROSSI, DENISE MARTINELI; SIVIY, CHRISTOPHER; SPEECKAERT, JOZEFIEN; GALIANA, IGNACIO; WALSH, CONOR J.. Lower limb biomechanical analysis during an unanticipated step on a bump reveals specific adaptations of walking on uneven terrains. Journal of Experimental Biology, v. 220, n. 22, p. 4169-4176, NOV 15 2017. (15/02116-1)

GRIMMER, MARTIN; QUINLIVAN, BRENDAN T.; LEE, SANGJUN; MALCOLM, PHILIPPE; ROSSI, DENISE MARTINELI; SIVIY, CHRISTOPHER; WALSH, CONOR J.. Comparison of the human-exosuit interaction using ankle moment and ankle positive power inspired walking assistance. JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS, v. 83, p. 76-84, JAN 23 2019. (15/02116-1)