As part of my Ph.D program, I build modular cable-driven exoskeletons - wearable robots that help you move by providing helpful assistive forces to your leg. I start from first principles - modeling the leg and tracking it's motion, and modelling the cables as force vectors that track the motion of the leg.
I built several alpha prototypes of my exoskeleton designs. The different designs are used for specific tasks. Walking exoskeletons help by applying forces along the leg. The modular prototypes can be reconfigured to help with any functional leg task. These designs are meant to help physical therapists in a rehabilitation session by quantifying and adapting to the changes in motion.
My research integrates Augmented Reality feedback, where the user is shown information about how they are moving to more directly motivate learning a new motor task.
Finally, we evaluate both the robot and the user effects by evaluating the error of the controller applying torque on the body and the reaction of the user to the feedback - how well they can follow the forces and visuals we are trying to get them to follow.
