Call for Speakers 2025

EMPOWER reimagines human-machine synergy by empowering machines with advanced intelligence and humans with augmented physical strength. Through the integration of real-time AI into active exoskeletons, EMPOWER creates a human-machine system where human expertise and decision making directs exoskeleton support to optimally augment human physical strength. Multi-modal, multi-sensor perception enables the prediction of workflows, the understanding of complex tasks, and the proactive adjustment of exoskeleton support characteristics. We will present work-in-progress results on multi-modal activity recognition for exoskeleton control. EMPOWER will demonstrate its innovations in industrial environments such as steel processing, logistics and construction, where prototypes with showcase how adaptive body-worn exoskeletons can reduce physical strain, mitigate the risk of musculoskeletal disorders, and preserve human-centered decision-making in demanding work settings.

At the research group Mobilab&Care, we collaborate with the healthcare industry to implement digital design workflows and 3D-printing techniques for the production of customized assistive devices, including orthotics, prosthetics, exoskeleton interfaces, and occupational therapy aids. We present a parametric design approach using Rhino 3D and Grasshopper algorithms to create devices based on 3D scans and anatomical landmarks, enabling optimal fit, improved alignment, and reduced production time. The method supports design flexibility and integration of mechanical components. To address durability concerns, we developed custom mechanical testing protocols, as existing standards are limited for evaluating patient-specific, additively manufactured devices

Manual labor is still strongly present in industrial contexts. this commonly involves tasks requiring working in non-ergonomic conditions and manipulating heavy parts, which can lead to musculoskeletal disorders. the back is one of the most affected regions. the eit-m superhuman project aims to industrialize, test, validate, and assess a hip-low back exoskeleton for labor applications, assisting the workers. the consortium integrates the supsi back-support exoskeleton and the gogoa hip exoskeleton. ctag provides expertise in laboratory tests, and art-er assists the consortium in engaging industrial partners for testing purposes. bonfiglioli riduttori and mch sonae are the two end users testing the proposed solution. in this presentation, we will provide the audience with the design and evaluation strategies adopted in the project.

The presentation focuses on reducing the mass of the rehabilitation exoskeleton of an upper extremity targeted at convenient home use with the possibility of assembling the device to the objects of daily use (such as chairs or beds). the presented investigation included a hybrid approach to finite element model topology and parametric optimisation for additively manufactured objects. it elaborates on the different methods of constructing driving systems and passive joints to enable high-stress resistance and stiffness while not increasing mass and providing full mobility of shoulder and elbow joints - critical for the task-oriented treatment. the design process is based on the real-life registered activities of daily life and multibody dynamics computations of the simulated exoskeleton with different extremity models. the works were held within a research project funded by the national center for research and development (lider xiv, contract number lider14/0196/2023).

We will discusses a novel approach in 3D movement analysis in humans (and non-rigid exoskeletons/robotics). Custom ‘UMIMU sensors’ were developed, each comprising a fully-integrated pair of Magnetic Inertial Measurement Unit (MIMU) and UIWB sensors, with an timing-optimizied embedded protocol measuring all distances within an UMIMU swarm. EKF-based position-estimating methods were developed/validated for achieving the accuracy and reproducibility required for improved 3D movement analysis. A study into ranging errors in typical gait analysis conditions were studied. Their mitigating is subject of current research. Also a novel segment calibration method is discussed that merges the worlds of marker-based and MIMU-based movement analysis, facilitating e.g. MIMU-based gait analysis in patients that cannot perform the standard pose/squat tasks required in current MIMU-based gait analysis.

Nonverbal communication plays a crucial role in social interactions, yet visually impaired individuals face significant challenges in perceiving these cues. This talk explores the development of a haptic glove designed to convey emotional and contextual information through vibrotactile feedback. Based on qualitative research and user studies, we examine which information should be transmitted and how emotions can be effectively perceived haptically. The talk will discuss findings from user interviews, prototype development, and initial evaluations, highlighting the potential of haptic technology to enhance accessibility and social inclusion. By bridging the gap between technology and human interaction, this research aims to create more intuitive and meaningful communication experiences for visually impaired users.

Lymphedema, caused by congenital malformations or secondary injuries from cancer treatments, results in lymph accumulation and tissue swelling. Affecting over 250 million people worldwide, it predominantly impacts adult women. This work presents an advanced healthcare solution leveraging soft robotic actuation to enhance lymphedema therapy. The device, designed as a textile sleeve, integrates pneumatic actuators with inflatable polymeric bladders, enabling dynamic pressure adjustments that replicate certified manual lymphatic drainage techniques. Focused on treating the upper arm, forearm, and hand, this innovation prioritizes effectiveness, user safety, and comfort. By automating therapy with biomimetic pressure patterns, it offers a high-performance, non-invasive alternative for improved patient outcomes.

FleXo is a lightweight, flexible, passive back-support exoskeleton designed to reduce lower back strain during lifting tasks while allowing complete freedom of movement for activities like walking or sitting. FleXo's mechanical structure is based on a chain of patented Modular Assistive Vertebrae whose dimension and location are the outcome of a multi-objective design optimization strategy, emphasizing both functionality and user comfort by simultaneously balancing the reduction of lower back strain, the preservation of the user's range of motion, and weight and ergonomics of the device. FleXo's design has been validated through lifting experiments, with particular attention to the subjects' feedback, which is used to inform the design of subsequent versions, ensuring continuous improvement and practical efficacy in reducing lower-back strain.

This study aims to develop a hybrid FES-exoskeleton system to enhance neurorehabilitation for lower limb mobility. By incorporating a biomechanical model of the lower limbs, including joint stiffness, the research examines motion dynamics and muscle activation patterns to enable seamless integration of functional electrical stimulation (FES) and exoskeleton support. The system features adaptable control designs tailored to individual users, ensuring a more personalized approach to rehabilitation. Additionally, real-time electromyography (EMG) signals are utilized as feedback to improve the interaction between the user and the system, fostering more efficient and natural movement patterns.

Industrial exoskeletons are gaining acceptance in workplaces to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Because workers perform diverse tasks, exoskeletons must be versatile. Active exoskeletons offer greater adaptability than passive exoskeletons, allowing for adjusting force assistance based on user activity. A key challenge is to determine the amount of control users should have while ensuring safety and functionality. Advances in virtual augmented and mixed reality can enhance user interaction. This talk presents a VR-based user interface for occupational exoskeletons. The system allows users to manage key functions such as calibration, adjustment, activation, and force modulation. It can automatically adapt force assistance when users handle loads, thereby improving both efficiency and usability.

Wearable neurorobots are systems designed to interpret human neural patterns and translate them into commands for wearable robotic devices, such as exoskeletons. However, the widespread adoption of neurorobotics for everyday is still limited. This project aims at redefining the neurorobotic system as a multifaceted symbiotic entity consisting of three intelligent agents---user, decoder, and robotic device. By integrating neuroscientific and robotic methodologies, the goal is to create and actively encourage shared interactions among these intelligent agents: on the one hand, the user interacts with the exoskeleton through a hybrid neural interface; on the other hand, the exoskeleton is treated as a semi-autonomous agent capable of contextualizing the user’s commands and adapt the gait trajectory to the environment.

We delve into the impact of a shoulder exoskeleton on cognitive, muscular, and oxygen consumption (VO2) expenditures. Researchers assessed the device's influence on cognitive load through the use of NASA TLX. Muscular expenditures were examined, focusing on the engagement of shoulder muscles during exoskeleton use using an electromyography (EMG). Additionally, with a gas analyzer the study measured VO2 expenditures to understand the metabolic demands of wearing the exoskeleton. Findings shed light on the potential benefits and challenges associated with shoulder exoskeletons, offering insights into their ergonomic implications and physiological effects. This multidimensional analysis contributes valuable information for the development and optimization of wearable assistive technologies, enhancing our understanding of the interplay between cognitive, muscular, and metabolic factors in exoskeleton-assisted activities.

Industrial exoskeletons are more accepted in the workplace to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Workers perform different activities and positions, and these actions require some versatility from the exoskeleton. Active exoskeletons provide a more effective solution because the system can be modified to modulate proper force assistance. The user now has access to different control strategies; however, what is concerning is how much of these exoskeleton domains should be open to the user? User interaction becomes challenging, and with the new advantages and power of AI tools, the exoskeleton user-interaction challenge is centered on safety and functional experience. This academic talk presents the design and assessment of an AI-driven voice user interface (VUI) to initialize and operate occupational exoskeletons.

At the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), we developed a human-inspired compliance controller, in which stiffness and damping parameters are online adapted to variable exoskeleton applications. One is assist-as-needed (AAN) control for rehabilitation by a portable (425 g) elbow exo. Another is resist-as-needed (RAN) control for decoding finger haptic patters in physical manipulation. These implementations rely only on internal actuator sensing (e.g., position), rather than expensive force/torque feedback. Our controller provides a novel way to adaptive control of physical human-exo interaction with few sensing.

The Kickstart® Walk Assist system is a neurorehabilitation device that consists of a hip belt, a multi-joint bracing system and a spring-powered Exotendon. Kickstart provides stability and assistance to lift, swing and guide the leg properly for each step without using electronics. Consecutive clinical studies demonstrated that the Kickstart exoskeletal device had a positive effect in improving walking ability in stroke survivors. In addition, the exoskeletal device could be easily integrated into current therapeutic programs to help patients enhance walking recovery both for hospital- and community-based rehabilitation training.

At the Geriatronics Research Center in Garmisch-P we are developing an Exoskeleton for future applications in rehabilitation and assistive technologies as well as to remotely control our service robot GARMI. Our exoskeleton is formed by 4 DOF and utilizes Bowden cables to transmit forces from external actuators to the wearer's limbs, enabling natural joint movement and assistance in performing tasks. However, further optimizations are required to address challenges such as cable friction and compliance to enhance the exoskeleton's overall effectiveness and usability

Providing optimal assistance is a main goal for active industrial exoskeletons, which requires estimating the payload the operator is lifting or carrying. The main problem associated with such payload estimation is that the payload is usually not directly attached to the exoskeleton: it is lifted by the operator, which in turn is supported by the exoskeleton. Due to such human intermediation, even by measuring the exoskeleton interaction forces, it is impossible to distinguish forces due to the payload and forces due to the human. By relying on EMG-driven neuromusculoskeletal models, our “delta torque” approach is able to make this distinction, leading to accurate payload estimation with low training efforts, simplified regressions and low computational time.

Through a multisite collaboration our team have been exploring the capability of the ExoMotus X2 lower limb exoskeleton to be modified for more intuitive user-controlled function, and tested in pilot trials in both healthy and stroke affected participants. Customisation is a cornerstone of rehabilitation amongst clinical populations with heterogenous neurological deficits and is enabled by open-source platforms. The Fourier Exoskeleton & Robotics Open Platform System (EXOPS) provides a means for researchers to develop and test new functionality without the overhead of building their own hardware. This presentation outlines our team’s path from device receipt, to modification, to new functionality development, and projects future changes the team plan. Our experience may serve as a template for other teams with analogous goals.

The assistance from powered lower-limb exoskeletons can extend the duration of the rehabilitation sessions for spinal cord injury and stroke patients. The help of an exoskeleton can reduce or delay the development of muscular fatigue as a risk factor for spasticity. The need to avoid the development of fatigue is crucial in rehabilitation because it negatively impacts the patient's progress. In this presentation, we will provide an overview of our approach to assessing muscular fatigue via electromyographic signal spectral analysis. This non-invasive approach aims to detect fatigue in its early stage of development and represents the first step toward a real-time fatigue detection approach that can be applied in clinical settings for the rehabilitation of neurologically impaired patients.

This talk presents a number of studies on the use of low-cost exoskeletons in physically demanding work situations of workers in a non-industrialized country. Several versions have been developed and analyzed with the aid of inertial-based monitoring technologies, EMG. Devices have been developed in the construction industry, kinematics of seated posture in ultra-heavy vehicle drivers and prolonged bipedal posture maintenance in the manufacturing industry. here is an example of one of these studies. We Design, validate and verify an ergonomic and adjustable devices for workers, due to the increase of musculoskeletal pathologies. Our devices will provide support and comfort without interfering with the task, with the objective of reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries, improving the health, safety of workers.

This talk presents three innovative actuation and control concepts for assistive exoskeletons. These concepts aim to reduce costs and improve exoskeleton controllability and energy efficiency at the same time. The concepts are related to (1) How to avoid oversizing actuators to obtain more lightweight, affordable, and transparent systems (2) How to enhance force controllability by mechanics in hybrid exoskeletons (3) How to improve device transparency by using non-collocated force measurement combined with low-cost accelerometers. All these three concepts are motivated by theoretical analyses, validated in real-world settings, and demonstrated on a simple upper limb exoskeleton prototype.

Delve into the blending of the unique advantages of both exoskeletons and orthoses in our presentation, “Bridging Exoskeleton & Orthosis for Improved Health Outcomes." We explore how combining the simplicity and portability of orthoses with the sophistication and usability of exoskeletons can revolutionize rehabilitation. Our focus is on the profound impact this integration has on users' ability to maintain a consistent training regimen, regardless of their location, being at rehabilitation centers or at home. Join us as we illuminate the path towards enhanced health outcomes through this innovative approach. Together, let's uncover the transformative potential of bridging traditional and advanced rehabilitation tools to empower individuals on their journey to recovery.

Industry 5.0 is bringing impressive technical and organizational advancements to the manufacturing sector. Technology and automation are now increasingly considered as partners to human workers, rather than as their substitutes, allowing scenarios of close collaboration that see humans as the core of any human-machine and human-robot interaction. In this framework, understanding and recognizing human activity during collaborative industrial operations is essential. In this talk, we provide an overview of our framework for sensitive and accurate psychophysiological monitoring of workload, fatigue, and stress of individuals interacting with a collaborative industrial robot (cobot). We particularly address challenges and lessons learned in using portable eye trackers for capturing pupillometry and other eye parameters (e.g., blinks) and chest straps for heart-rate variability (HRV) analysis.

Gait Analysis (GAn) is crucial for precision rehabilitation and clinical decisions. Traditionally conducted via tests and visual assessments, GAn measures spatio-temporal and kinematic parameters to detect gait abnormalities. Optical motion capture systems offer accuracy but are costly and lab-restricted. Marker-less motion analysis (MMA) represents a flexible, marker-free alternative, enabling faster, easier assessments and outdoor use, beneficial for sports biomechanics and daily monitoring of neuromotor disorders. MEMENTO develops a cost-effective, marker-less GAn software, harnessing pose estimation for motion detection using a simple camera, providing real-time feedback on walking performance. This innovation aims to improve the feasibility and usability of GAn in clinical settings, offering a unique training program for healthcare professionals globally in advanced gait assessment.

Parkinson's disease diagnosis using VitPose, a state-of-the-art pose estimation architecture, and through machine learning techniques. By employing a publicly accessible video dataset, we aim to accurately distinguish Parkinson's disease patients from healthy controls, ensuring transparency, reproducibility, and comparability in our methodology. A significant innovation of our study is integrating an explainability component, which provides clear insights into the decision-making process by identifying specific gait features indicative of Parkinson's disease. This integration enhances our research's robustness and clinical applicability and positions our approach as a valuable tool in clinical settings for diagnosing and monitoring Parkinson's disease.

Anastomotic leakage (AL) is the leaking of pathogenic, non-sterile gastrointestinal contents into the abdominal cavity of a patient. AL is one of the most dreaded complications after gastrointestinal surgery, with mortality rates of up to 27%. Existing diagnostic approaches for detecting anastomotic leaks exhibit limited sensitivity and specificity. Here, we introduce a naked eye-readable, electronic-free sensor placed in the extracorporeal drain bag for continuous monitoring and early detection of AL. As to date, there exists no satisfactory diagnostic method for AL detection, this work has the potential to significantly contribute to improved patient outcome through early, low-cost and reliable AL detection thereby reducing healthcare costs.

SafeLegs is a lower-limb exoskeleton prototype equipped with Deep Learning-based safety functions. First, we employed Reinforcement Learning for critical fault search in a Digital Twin of the exoskeleton. Secondly, by using Machine Learning optimisation, we drastically reduced amount of possible data access points from the system. From the optimised set of APs we trained the LSTM-based signal predictor. This model was quantised and deployed on the edge computer that controls the exoskeleton. As the result, the system is capable to successfully detect hardware faults before they can lead to a catastrophic failure while keeping the computational overhead as minimal as possible.

This document presents a new optimized integration of a compact gear reducer, specific designs of BLDC motor and magnetic absolute position sensor for high torque per volume demanding applications, and more particularly for an active exoskeleton dedicated to assisting disabled people or for a eWalk application.