Assistive strategies for a back support exoskeleton: Experimental evaluation

Abstract

An important open challenge in robotic assistive exoskeletons is how to control them to maximize their physical benefits on users. We addressed this challenge on a back support exoskeleton in a preliminary user study, which evaluated three possible assistive strategies on a lifting task. One strategy modulated the assistance on the posture of the torso. The two additional direct strategies assisted proportionally to forearm electromyography and grip pressure on the fingertip, respectively. The experiments highlighted that the direct strategies modulate assistance more appropriately than the posture-based one. Additionally, the associated acquisition devices were not considered obtrusive for the lifting task. The insights from this exploratory study will guide further development of the control interface to operate the robotic back support.