Carnegie Mellon’s Steve Collins Talks Prosthesis and Exoskeletons

Jan 24, 2014   RI Seminar: Steve Collins, Prosthesis and exoskeleton emulators for rapid evaluation…, Steve Collins, Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon University, MechE

This is an absolutely phenomenal talk by Professor Steve Collins that is a must-see for anyone who is just now being exposed to the science behind making exoskeletons and wearable robots.  This presentation is slightly longer than an hour and includes:

• Theory that wearable robotics research is being held back by constantly trying to work on product prototype scale and an alternative approach where controllers, batteries and motors are kept on the side and connected with cables to run a test bed device that can be rapidly altered within hours.
• Experimental methodology that can be pushed beyond the original test range in order to show relationships and deviations on a subject to subject bases.
• Simplified model for efficient walking and the importance of the ankle in a normal gait cycle.
• Great explanation on useful work done by the biomechatronic device based on its shape, power and timing.
• Strong commitment to getting researchers to work with prototypes on real human beings as quickly as possible (identical approach to the MIT Open Media Lab).
• The FAQ section even includes a full explanation of the passive ankle exoskeleton from North Carolina University that captured the attention of the media in April 2015.