An assistive robot that enables people with amyotrophia to perform sequences of everyday activities

Abstract

Mobile manipulation aids aim at enabling people with motor impairments to physically interact with their environment. To facilitate the operation of such systems, a variety of components, such as suitable user interfaces and intuitive control of the system, play a crucial role. In this article, we validate our highly integrated assistive robot EDAN, operated by an interface based on bioelectrical signals, combined with shared control and a whole-body coordination of the entire system, through a case study involving people with motor impairments to accomplish real-world activities. Three individuals with amyotrophia were able to perform a range of everyday tasks, including pouring a drink, opening and driving through a door, and opening a drawer. Rather than considering these tasks in isolation, our study focuses on the continuous execution of long sequences of realistic everyday tasks.