Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #exosuits
Most recents (7)
Exoskeletons in construction:
Nice article posted to the Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin website & co-written by Prof. Zhenhua Zhu from UW-Madison & Mariya Sorenson, a construction manager with M.A. Mortenson.
They highlight 3 potential broad impacts of exos:
Nice article posted to the Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin website & co-written by Prof. Zhenhua Zhu from UW-Madison & Mariya Sorenson, a construction manager with M.A. Mortenson.
They highlight 3 potential broad impacts of exos:
1. Improving worker safety & fostering a better safety culture in the construction industry.
Exoskeletons can reduce fatigue, muscle strain & wear-and-tear injuries, which could lead to substantial cost savings.
Exoskeletons can reduce fatigue, muscle strain & wear-and-tear injuries, which could lead to substantial cost savings.
2. Alleviating the shortage of skilled construction workers.
Exoskeletons could help extend careers & attract candidates who might otherwise be deterred by physically demanding jobs.
Exoskeletons could help extend careers & attract candidates who might otherwise be deterred by physically demanding jobs.
Excited to share our new #biomechanics publication on the effect of low-profile elastic #exosuits on back muscle fatigue. #exoskeleton #exosuit
nature.com/articles/s4159…
Challenging experiment, but we learned a lot in the process. Here are the top 4 lessons I took away....
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nature.com/articles/s4159…
Challenging experiment, but we learned a lot in the process. Here are the top 4 lessons I took away....
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First, huge kudos to lead author @lamers_erik who completed his PhD last month!
During his time @CREATEatVandy he completed a series of studies on quasi-passive wearable assistive devices spanning from foot prostheses to back-assist exosuits
Super proud of the work he did!
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During his time @CREATEatVandy he completed a series of studies on quasi-passive wearable assistive devices spanning from foot prostheses to back-assist exosuits
Super proud of the work he did!
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Next some background: When I talk to scientists they often want to know how much exosuits reduce muscle activity, or joint torque, or metabolic rate, or about the optimal assistance levels, specific design features, etc.
And I love this technical aspect of research, but...
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And I love this technical aspect of research, but...
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My aha moment today:
Office chairs are rollable devices that support the body to help office workers maintain safe posture, sustain energy & avoid overexertion.
#Exoskeletons & #exosuits are wearable devices that do the same thing -- just for people in physically-demanding jobs
Office chairs are rollable devices that support the body to help office workers maintain safe posture, sustain energy & avoid overexertion.
#Exoskeletons & #exosuits are wearable devices that do the same thing -- just for people in physically-demanding jobs
Exoskeletons & wearable robots are still a foreign concept to most people in society. There are lots of myths & misconceptions & also trepidation about new #wearabletech. I've been thinking about ways to make assistive tech more relatable & approachable. Any other ideas? #SciComm
Also I didn't realize just how much I valued my office chair until we went remote & I lost it. I've consistently seen/heard same thing across exo field. It's not uncommon for users to make audible "ugh" sound during 1st lift/motion after exo assistance is taken away or turned off
Thanks for all the great @BiomechanicsDay posts, videos & memories shared this week! Refreshing, energizing & inspiring! @CREATEatVandy & I posted on a few social media sites. Compiling here into #NBD2020 ode to #biomechanics! What biomech is to us...
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#Biomechanics is about improving lives. Improving mobility & independence for those w/ disabilities. Preventing injury & sustaining health in others.
We aim to advance understanding of how people move, & translate science/engineering out of the lab.
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engineering.vanderbilt.edu/create/
We aim to advance understanding of how people move, & translate science/engineering out of the lab.
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engineering.vanderbilt.edu/create/
#Biomechanics is studying human movement and musculoskeletal loading to inform how we design #wearables, #exoskeletons and #exosuits to support and protect manual material handlers and other workers in physically demanding jobs.
@EmilyMatijevich @lamers_erik @volgy
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@EmilyMatijevich @lamers_erik @volgy
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So… We pulled on people with a robot until they told us to stop. Turns out you can yank on shank, thigh & shoulders w/ about one full body weight of force (on avg) before people reach their comfort limit. This work informs design of assistive #exosuits 1/
journals.plos.org/plosone/articl…
journals.plos.org/plosone/articl…
We discovered that if we pull on people over multiple days, then by the 4th day they tolerated 20-35% higher forces than on the 1st day, before reaching their comfort limit. Multi-day habituation (to forces from exo/robot) makes a big difference in user comfort & experience! 2/
For as strange as this study sounds it was quite useful b/c it enabled us to evaluate & confirm that our back- & ankle-assist exos exert forces far below observed comfort limits. The findings also help inform future design concepts for augmenting human movement & capabilities. 3/
One of the most common questions I hear is: could occupational #exoskeletons cause muscle atrophy/loss? Interestingly I’ve never heard anyone ask: when workers develop overuse injuries (& miss work for days, end up immobilized for weeks, or leave) does it cause muscle atrophy?
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I’m far more concerned about the latter scenario, which we know occurs regularly. Based on current scientific evidence, given the modest unloading provided by most #exoskeletons & #exosuits, & given the strenuous jobs done by industrial users, atrophy seems unlikely (imho).
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Relevant excerpt from Krogh-Maden et al. in the Journal of Applied Physiology:
“...most literature suggests that reduced muscle loading must be drastic, such as limb immobilization or bed rest, to observe muscle atrophy."
physiology.org/doi/full/10.11…
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“...most literature suggests that reduced muscle loading must be drastic, such as limb immobilization or bed rest, to observe muscle atrophy."
physiology.org/doi/full/10.11…
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The latest chapter in our quest to create assistive #exoskeletons #exosuits #mechanizedclothing that can integrate seamlessly into daily life & be concealed under everyday clothing. 1/n #ExoskeletonsForEveryone
@MatthewYandell @Joshuatacca @ExoskeletonRep
ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/86673…
@MatthewYandell @Joshuatacca @ExoskeletonRep
ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/86673…
We were inspired by the assistive ankle exoskeleton made by @gregory_sawicki & @StevenHCollins. We loved that it was lightweight & unpowered. But we really wanted a version that could be inconspicuous, both audibly & visually (fit under pants without protruding elements). 2/n
To accomplish this we invented a new under-the-foot friction clutch mechanism that is low-profile (5 mm tall), quiet & unmotorized. It uses the person's own body weight for the clutching function, enabling it to operate across various gait speeds, for walking & also running. 3/n
