Jacob Rosen, PhD
Department of Electrical Engineering, Biorobotics Lab
"Neural Control of an Upper Limb Powered Exoskeleton System"


ABSTRACT

Integrating humans with their naturally developed control
algorithm and robots with their extended capability of
applying forces and torques into one system offers multiple
opportunities for creating a new generation of assistance
technology for both healthy and disabled people suffering
from neuromuscular diseases and neuro-degenerative disorders.
The exoskeleton robotic arm, is worn by the human (orthotic)
and it is acting as a human-amplifier allowing the operator
natural control of the device as an extension of his/her
body while sharing an external load. One of the primary
innovative ideas of the research is to set the human machine
interface at the neuromuscular level of the human physiological
hierarchy using the body's own neural command (surface
electromyography - sEMG) signals as one of the primary
command signals of the exoskeleton for improving the
synergy between the operator and the exoskeleton. The
goals of this research are to design, build, and experimentally
study the integration of a powered exoskeleton controlled
by myosignals for the human arm with health people. The
scientific activity involved in the research integrates and
fuses multidisciplinary knowledge for improving the quality
of life of the disabled community.