IEEE Future Directions
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Back at CES 2011 Cyberdyne presented a lower limbs exoskeleton that would help in relieving stress and fatigue from the lower limbs by shifting the weight from the limbs to the exoskeleton. A few years have gone by, this exoskeleton has found application in a number of industries in Japan mostly on a trial bases.
At the end of 2017 HAL, Hybrid Assistive Limb, the most advanced version of the exoskeleton has received the approval from US FDA to be used as an assistive device in medical procedures (see clip).
This version is able to capture electrical signals coming from the brain and reaching the muscle in the limb. These signals are decoded and generate commands making the exoskeleton “stepping in” helping in the movement. Interestingly, the software processing the electrical signals is learning and adapts the command to the need of the person wearing HAL.
The approval from the FDA makes it possible to use HAL for rehabilitation on persons who have problems in moving their limbs. The help provided by HAL enables the person to walk again. What is most important is that the intelligent way help is being provided, finely tuned to the need, not only result in a much better gait with less training needed (just one assistant is required in the first stages), it also helps the muscles and the brain to strengthen their connections thus leading to a faster rehabilitation process. In many cases of disabilities in deambulation the problem lies in the loss of connection between the brain and the muscles. By exercising the muscles in synch with the electrical signals coming from the brain connectivity paths are formed. HAL does not walk on its own, it waits for signals coming from the brain of that person, hence the person is forced to focus on activating HAL, meaning should focus on activating his muscles and this focusing is what speeds up the formation of new connection pathways. It is not a silver bullet, there are situations where a new connection path cannot be formed but in many cases this works well.
For those cases where connection paths are not reconstructed it remains the benefit of being able to move again through HAL assistance.
HAL can be rented on a monthly fee or can be bought, the price is not exorbitant, in the range of 5,000$. This places HAL at the low range of prices for exoskeleton, whose cost may go up to 85,000$. The difference in pricing is dependent on the kind of help being provided but the overall trend is towards a decrease in price. Also notice that the artificial limbs require maintenance and some components have to be replaced depending on the use, thus increasing the operation cost.
Industries are looking, and experimenting, with exoskeletons, also called wearable robotics and some believe this will be the future for manual workers. This is partly related to decreasing workers fatigue and partly in augmenting workers capabilities.
This augmentation part is likely to trickle from “need to have” situations to normal life. The exoskeleton market is expected to reach 4.65B$ by 2026 with a CAGR of 47.4% .
More on the next post.
