robotics

Mechanical Imaging of Soft Tissues with Miniature Climbing robots

Author(s)3: Artem Dementyev, Rianna M Jitosho, Joseph A Paradiso
Mechanical Imaging of Soft Tissues with Miniature Climbing robots 170 176 IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering (TBME)
We propose a method that uses our previously developed skin-crawling robots to noninvasively test the mechanical properties of soft tissue. We explore the use of two miniature sensors: an indenter and a cutometer. We evaluate the sensor’s performance from data collected on simulated tissue, classifying the depth and size of a simulated lump with over 98.8% accuracy using convolutional neural nets. Finally, we do limited on-body testing to map dry skin on the forearm with a cutometer. We hope to improve the ability to test tissues noninvasively, providing better sensitivity and systematic data collection. read more

The impact of ACL laxity on a bicondylar robotic knee and implications in human joint biomechanics

Author(s)3: Felix F. W. Russell, Petar Kormushev, Ravi Vaidyanathan, Peter Ellison
The impact of ACL laxity on a bicondylar robotic knee and implications in human joint biomechanics 170 177 IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering (TBME)
A robot model of the human knee provides a new way to investigate joint biomechanics. The specially designed joint has geometry copied from human bones scans and uses springs for ligaments. A knee cap (patella) and tendons transmit forces from an antagonistic pair of actuators, like in the human leg. This method overcomes many of the experimental limitations from using human tissue. The robot demonstrates the unique way in which the sliding of the joint surfaces allows the human knee mechanism to compensate when critical structures such as the anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) are removed. read more

A Biocompatible Near-Infrared 3D Tracking System

Author(s)3: Ryan S. Decker, Azad Shademan, Justin D. Opfermann, Simon Leonard, Peter C. W. Kim, Axel Krieger
A Biocompatible Near-Infrared 3D Tracking System 127 132 IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering (TBME)

A fundamental challenge in soft-tissue surgery is that target tissue moves and deforms, becomes occluded by blood or other tissue, and is difficult to differentiate from surrounding tissue. To overcome…

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Simulation-Based Design for Wearable Robotic Systems: An Optimization Framework for Enhancing a Standing Long Jump

Author(s)3: Carmichael F. Ong, Jennifer L. Hicks, Scott L. Delp
Simulation-Based Design for Wearable Robotic Systems: An Optimization Framework for Enhancing a Standing Long Jump 170 177 IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering (TBME)

Wearable robotic devices offer great potential to improve human performance for various movement tasks, but the success of these devices has been limited by our insufficient understanding of the complex…

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