title: Issues in impedance selection and input devices for multijoint powered orthotics.
abstract: We investigated the applicability of impedance controllers to robotic orthoses for arm movements. We had tetraplegics turn a crank using their paralyzed arm propelled by a planar robot manipulandum. The robot was under impedance control, and chin motion served as command source. Stiffness varied between 50, 100, or 200 N/m and damping varied between 5 or 15 N/m/s. Results indicated that a low stiffness and high viscosity provided better directional control of the tangential force exerted on the crank.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lemay
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: van Dorsten
mesh_terms: D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D017097:Electric Impedance; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D011187:Posture; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014584:User-Computer Interface