Exoskeleton Report

WearRAcon 17
2017-04-19 08:00 - 2017-04-21 17:00 (America/Phoenix) | MD
Join wearable robotics professionals and entrepreneurs from industry, academia, and government at WearRAcon 17. The annual event brings together more than 300 attendees from across the globe, to hear cutting-edge presentations, see robotics demonstrations, participate in the Innovation Competition and network with those creating and using wearable robotic devices. Sponsorship Opportunities! Sponsors have the unique opportunity to meet with industry leaders and more importantly, meet with customers interested in purchasing new technology to improve productivity, worker safety, health, and more. Consider a sponsorship that allows a “spotlight demonstration” and a booth to exhibit your latest designs. For more information go here.

Webinar: Indego: Stroke Rehabilitation
2020-08-12 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | MD
Influence of Advanced Technology on Stroke Rehabilitation

Description
In this live webinar Dr. Francisco will provide an update on the use of advanced technology in stroke rehabilitation. He will address and show evidence-based stroke rehabilitation interventions which promote greater functional recovery and explains how the Indego exoskeleton is used in the outpatient department at TIRR Memorial Hermann

Time

Aug 12, 2020 01:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Source:
https://parker.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_H9-U3TSwTj-KRP_Pd4RI-Q

Webinar: Dr. Bell on Using EksoNR
2020-08-26 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Mexico_City) | MD
A Digital Talk with Dr. Bell: Treating Acquired Brain Injury and Neuro Diagnoses with EksoNR
“Join Dr. Kathleen Bell of University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center for this exclusive digital event, where she talks about how she is using EksoNR to innovate their therapy program and improve patient outcomes.
Dr. Kathleen Bell is the Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at UT Southwestern Medical Center and holder of the Kimberly-Clark Distinguished Chair in Mobility Research. She graduated from Temple University Medical School in Philadelphia, PA, completed residency at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA and completed an NIHR (now NIDLIRR) Switzer Fellowship…”

Start of Project March edX Online Class on Exoskeletons
2020-09-09 | MD
Project MARCH: behind the technology of robotic exoskeletons
“Learn about cutting-edge exoskeleton technology that can help people with spinal cord injuries to walk again. Create your own vision of how to advance this technology in the future, benefiting from the hands-on experience of the Project MARCH student team in building exoskeletons.”
”

About this course
Skip About this course

Over the last 20 years, exoskeletons have gained an increasing amount of attention as an assistive device to help people with spinal cord injury stand up and walk again. While this cutting-edge technology can have many applications – for example, in military or industrial settings – this course focuses on the use of powered exoskeletons in the medical field, specifically for people with spinal cord injury. Each year, between 250,000 and 500,000 people worldwide suffer from spinal cord injury. Amongst many possible symptoms, this may result in a loss of motor control in large parts of the body, including the legs.
The course is open to anyone interested in exoskeletons for the medical or technological field. This includes, but is not limited to, people who:

are eager to learn about exoskeleton technology;
are university students interested in medical or technological topics;
are working in a non-biomechanical field and are simply enthusiastic about exoskeleton technology;
have some experience of working on a biomechanical project.

The course delivers a complete overview of all aspects of exoskeleton technology. Topics range from the health benefits of exoskeletons and the importance of co-creation with the user, to mechanical structure and developing ‘smarter’ exoskeletons. You will strengthen your analytical and creative mindset by designing solutions to given problems and by analyzing current challenges in the field of exoskeleton technology. Through discussions with fellow participants, you will form your own vision about the future of exoskeletons.

What you’ll learn

Understand the role of exoskeletons in paraplegia induced by Spinal Cord Injury
Compare existing exoskeletons and employ them as inspiration for future design
Understand the interaction between humans and machines
Apply analytical and creative thinking to design questions
Perform basic calculations relevant to exoskeleton design and performance
Understand the importance of balance and methods applied to achieve balance in exoskeletons”

This course is developed by and uses examples from Project MARCH: the exoskeleton-building team consisting of students from TU Delft. This team consists of around twenty-five students from different disciplines who volunteer to participate in the project over the course of a full year. Drawing from their hands-on experience and the knowledge gained while researching, designing and building different exoskeletons over the years, they are ideally placed to provide you with a complete online course covering the design, use and future challenges of letting people with spinal cord injury walk again.
Course Website: link

Webinar: Best Practices When Evaluating Upper Extremity Exoskeletons
2020-09-16 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MD
When should an exoskeleton be used? How can the decision be based on quantitative measurements in both the lab and the field and not an opinion? When it comes to upper body passive exoskeletons Dr. Jason Gillete and Terry Buttler have immense hands-on experience on the subject! The Wearable Robotics Association is proud to present a webinar with both experts on Best Practices When Evaluating Upper Extremity Exoskeletons this Wednesday, September 16 from noon to 1:00 PM Pacific Time:
Because exoskeletons are challenging to assess using standard biomechanical and ergonomic techniques, best practices are needed to ensure consistency, accuracy, and comparability of results between studies. This presentation focuses on one of those best practices.
Attendees will learn the details behind how the ACGIH threshold limit value (TLV) for upper limb localized fatigue is used as a standard baseline for which measurements taken while working with and without an upper extremity exoskeleton, can be compared.

Presenters, Jason Gillette, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Iowa State University and Terry Butler, CSP President, Lean Steps Consulting Inc., will explain the methods behind measuring percent maximum voluntary contraction and duty cycle with electromyography (EMG) to determine whether a job task is above the ACGIH threshold limit value (TLV) for fatigue with and without an upper extremity exoskeleton.
In addition, attendees will learn how real-world studies and systematic lab testing can be used to develop predictive models for shoulder fatigue. It will be explained how video and motion capture can also be used to help predict which job tasks have higher fatigue risk.
Contact conference@wearablerobotics.com for more information.

Date: September 16, 2020, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Where: Online
Price: $0/Members & Students and $25/Non-members
Organizer: Wearable Robotics Association
Registration: https://wra5.wildapricot.org/event-3967849

CYBATHLON Symposium
2020-09-17 - 2020-09-18 | MD
“CYBATHLON Symposium in New Interactive Virtual Format on 17–18 September 2020, as kick-off into the CYBATHLON 2020

In view of the current international situation we have decided to organise the CYBATHLON and CYBATHLON Symposium 2020 in a new global format, mixing virtual and physical races and events. After consulting with CYBATHLON teams and Symposium keynote speakers, this decision was reached jointly with ETH Zurich and the CYBATHLON Organising Committee. The CYBATHLON Organising Committee is working intensively on a new global format scheduled for autumn 2020, and further information will follow shortly via the CYBATHLON channels.
As a kick-off into this new CYBATHLON era, the CYBATHLON Symposium will take place according to the initially planned program, but in a new, entirely virtual format with a special focus on maintaining interactivity during talks, posters/demos and the podium session. To better comply with time differences among participants, it will take place over two days on 17–18 September 2020.
We are also excited to inform you that taking advantage of this change imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, participation to the virtual CYBATHLON Symposium will be made free, in order to make it accessible to a larger public, and especially to students. We will contact those of you who already paid the registration fee for a reimbursement over the next weeks. More information will soon be available on our website
We thank all our partners, speakers and registered participants for their understanding and their continuous inspiration for moving people and technology together.
We are looking forward to a reimagined and exciting CYBATHLON and CYBATHLON Symposium 2020! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Roger Gassert and Olivier Lambercy
CYBATHLON Symposium 2020 Co-Chairs”
Program (tentative as of August 6th, 2020):

CYBATHLON Symposium 2020 Day 1, September 17, 2020
All Times CEST

Time
Programme

13h00–13h10
Welcome address, including welcome message by Stavros Niarchos Foundation

13h15–13h55
Amit Goffer, PhD (UPnRIDE Robotics Ltd., Israel)
Upright Rolling with a Robotic Power Wheelchair (KEYNOTE)

14h00–14h15
Short Talk 1: Diego Paez-Granados (EPFL, Switzerland)
Materializing personal standing mobility from design to shared control

14h20–15h00
Vance Bergeron, PhD (École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France)
Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling: an Electrifying Sport (KEYNOTE)

15h05–15h20
Short Talk 2: Sebastian Tobler (Bern University of Applied Science, Switzerland)
Recumbent trike with epidural electrical stimulation

15h25–16h05
Robert Griffin, PhD (Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition, USA)
A decade of IHMC’s powered exoskeleton research and development (KEYNOTE)

16h10–16h25
Talk 3: Giada Devittori (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
Gait analysis of ambulation on even and uneven ground with a stiff or compliant exoskeleton

16h30–16h45
Short Talk 4: Jemina Fasola (EPFL, Switzerland)
Adaptation of postural strategies during standing in a locked-ankle passive exoskeleton

16h50–17h30
Podium discussion
Promoting the provision and acceptance of assistive technologies

Armin Curt, Professor for Paraplegiology at the University of Zurich and Medical Director of the Spinal Cord Injury Center of the Balgrist University Hospital
Amit Goffer, President and CTO of UPnRIDE Robotics; founder of ReWalk Robotics
Stefan Honegger, Head of Cash and In-Kind Benefits within the Invalidity Insurance Domain at the Swiss Federal Insurance Office
Robert Riener, Professor of Sensory-Motor Systems at ETH Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital; inventor and initiator of the CYBATHLON
Franziska Ryser, member of the Swiss National Council; doctoral student at ETH Zurich
Effy Vayena, Professor of Bioethics at ETH Zurich

17h30–17h35
Closing Words Day 1

CYBATHLON Symposium 2020 Day 2, September 18, 2020
All Times CEST

Time
Programme

13h00–13h10
Opening Day 2, including welcome message by Roland Sigrist

13h15–13h55
Cuntai Guan, PhD (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)
Brain-Computer Interface for brain Function Recovery in Stroke Rehabilitation (KEYNOTE)

14h00–14h15
Short Talk 5: Xiaoxi Wei (Imperial College London, UK)
EEG BCI decoding with deep transfer learning to reduce user training time

14h20–15h00
Antonio Bicchi, PhD (Italian Institute of Technology & University of Pisa, Italy)
From Collaborative Robotics to Prosthetics and Rehab: How Soft Tech is Changing the Game (KEYNOTE)

15h05–15h20
Short Talk 6: Mathilde Legrand (Sorbonne University, France)
Movement-based control of multiple degrees of freedom for upper-limb prostheses

15h25–16h05
Interactive Poster Session (interaction in individual zoom rooms and via Twitter)

16h10–16h50
Helen Huang, PhD (North Carolina State U & U of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA)
Neural Control of Robotic Prostheses (KEYNOTE)

16h55–17h10
Short Talk 7: Joost Geeroms (Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium)
Development of the CYBERLEGs X-Leg: Lessons from active prosthetics research

17h15–17h30

Short Talk 8: Marcello Ienca (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
Ethical design in rehabilitation engineering and health technology: moving from theory to practice

17h30–17h35
Closing Words Day 2

ErgoX Symposium on Exoskeletons
2020-10-13 07:00 - 2020-10-14 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MD
ErgoX is a separate Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) educational activity scheduled for October 13 and 14. Annual Meeting registrants qualify for a 20% registration discount to ErgoX. This will be the 3rd ErgoX that has a track focused exclusively on exoskeletons. Due to Covid-19 safety considerations, this will be a virtual event.
“ErgoX is designed to showcase and apply the latest ergonomics science to workplace health, safety, wellness, and injury-prevention issues across a variety of domains and settings.
ErgoX delivers practical, usable, and evidence-based solutions to the challenges faced by ergonomists, risk managers, and health and safety specialists. ErgoX is a practical, solutions based event that offers unique opportunities for collaboration and guidance.
With three educational tracks – Cybersecurity, Exoskeletons, and Robotics”
Website: https://www.hfes2020.com

WeRob 2020 / WearRAcon Europe 20
2020-10-13 08:30 - 2020-10-16 18:30 (Europe/Madrid) | MD
WeRob and WearRAcon Europe are joining forces together to create a four-day virtual conference on exoskeletons, wearable robotics, rehabilitation devices, orthotics, and neuro-rehabilitation to be held in parallel with the 2020 International Conference on Neurorehabilitation. Keynote speakers include Matt Marino from HeroWear, Prof. Arun Jayaraman hailing from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and Prof. Roger Gassert, ETH Zurich:
The International Symposium on Wearable Robotics (WeRob2020) and WearRAcon Europe
WeRob 2020 and WearRACon Europe 2020 are proud to collaborate this year to create a premier European conference on wearable robotics for both the medical and industrial sectors.
Growing from the first edition of the event in Europe last year, the WearRAcon team will chair a session on exoskeletons for military applications, while supporting the WeRob team in the organization of the other sessions
Researchers and innovators from all around the world will discuss novel approaches, challenges and potential solutions in technologies for wearable robots. The symposium will enclose presentations and discussions in various fields such as: supporting solutions for healthy ageing, advanced therapeutic treatments of neurological diseases, space applications or assistive technologies in the industry. Demonstrations and exhibitions of reference technologies in the field will also take place.
International speakers from academia, government, industry, medical centres and end users are encouraged to participate in this biannual event. WeRob provides an international forum for researchers and practitioners to report the latest innovations, discuss state-of-the-art techniques, and exchange ideas and advances in all aspects of wearable robotics.
Moreover, this event will be held in parallel with the 2020 International Conference on Neurorehabilitation (ICNR2020), which will bring together researchers and students from the fields of Clinical Rehabilitation, Applied Neurophysiology, and Biomedical Engineering to promote, feed and encourage this therapeutic global shift.

Webinar: Workforce Resiliency
2020-10-21 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MD
WearRA is planning a new webinar: Workforce Resiliency Using Exoskeletons, Wearable Sensors and Artificial Intelligence, Oct 21, 2020, 12:00-1:00pm EDT (eastern daylight time). Register at WearRA’s website.
By measuring well-being, engagement, productivity, stress, motivation and focus, we’re able to identify and predict the biggest challenges in your workforce. Dr. Joe Hitt, CEO, GoX Labs, Duncan Treffers, General Manager, Laevo, and Jennifer Hunter, CEO, emVitals, Inc. will discuss how to optimize the potential of using sensors today, while achieving big gains using a holistic approach. Discussion topics include:
-Wearable sensors and AI measures for workforce resiliency
-How exoskeletons can provide the right support with sensors
-How to measure stress, engagement, motivation and focus
Contact conference@wearablerobotics.com for more information.

Webinar: Usage of Medical Exoskeletons - ExoAtlet
2020-11-04 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | MD
While Europe is its second wave of Covid-19 (and the U.S. is still on it’s first or third, depending on who you ask) and live events are being cancelled left and right, online exoskeleton events continue to flourish.
This November 4th, 2020, at 16 CET (8 a.m. Pacific Time), ExoAtlet will hold an educational webinar on the “usage of medical exoskeletons” based on their ExoAtlet II. The ExoAtlet II is a lower-body powered gait rehabilitation exoskeleton that stands on the shoulders of the first model. The Webinar is free, and registration can be made at: https://exoedu.lu/registration
The webinar’s main topic will be the basics of the application of exoskeletons in rehabilitation. Doctors and physiotherapists from the Vivantes Klinikum Spandau will answer questions on the practical applications of the ExoAtlet II.

F48 Fall 2020 Meeting
2020-11-09 - 2020-11-10 | MD
The ASTM International Committee F48 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits Fall 2020 meeting will take place virtualy on 11/9-11/10. More information can be found on the F48 website here. The meeting is for F48 memebers only, however, joining is relatively easy and can be done through the same website.

Webinar: Dr. Karen Nolan
2020-11-12 09:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MD
Ekso Bionics will sponsor a live digital talk from Dr. Karen Nolan, Senior Scientist in Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research at Kessler Foundation on stroke and brain injury. The webinar will be held Thursday, November 12, 2020, at 9 am Pacific Time. The full name of the webinar is Robotics for Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Efficacy, Clinical Integration and Future Directions.
“Research by Dr. Nolan has focused on large multi-site randomized clinical trials (RCT) in brain injury populations through the Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, and industry-sponsored funding. Currently, Dr. Nolan is PI of an RCT (funded by NIDILRR RERC) in investigating the efficacy of robotic exoskeleton gait training for acute stroke and Co-PI of double blind RCT (funded by Department of Defense) investigating the efficacy of virtual reality balance intervention for military, veteran, and civilian populations with TBI.
Dr. Nolan’s work has allowed her to gain significant experience in conducting large-scale, multi-site RCTs utilizing objective measure of functional ambulation and balance in TBI and stroke. She is recognized as a leader in the field of biomechanics and motor rehabilitation and has been invited to give presentations of these topics at national and international conferences. Dr. Nolan serves as a grand viewer for National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation research, VA, and is a member of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, International Society of Biomechanics, and Gait, Clinical Movement Analysis Society and Wearable Robotics Association.”
Dr. Nolan has been instrumental in educating people around the globe on the potential and advantages of rehabilitation exoskeletons. Her TEDxHerndon talk alone has over 130k viewers to date. In fact, her research is so influential she is one of the few people to have a category tag on ExR of her own. Most recently, Dr. Karen Nolan and Dr. Soha Saleh of the Kessler Foundation Receive a Multi-Million Dollar Grant From the NIH. The $3,547,908 grant is to study the effects of using medical walking-assist exoskeletons shortly following a stroke. The team is scheduled to conduct a five-year study of “intensive high-dose gait therapy in the acute phase post-stroke, using a protocol of robotic exoskeleton-assisted gait training.” Part of the rationale is that those that have suffered a stroke could make a faster and more complete mobility recovery with the introduction of early, safe, and highly consistent physical therapy.
You can register for the event at the Ekso Bionics website here.

Cybathlon Global 2020 Powered Exoskeleton Race
2020-11-14 06:00 - 07:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MD
In 2016 Cybathlon rocked the world as the first cyber-olympic event dedicated to powered wheelchairs, functional electrical stimulation bicycles, powered prosthetics, and of course, lower body-powered exoskeletons. Even with a pandemic raging across the world, the organizers are not going to skip this year’s iteration of the event and will hold Cybathlon Global Edition. Powered walking-assistance exoskeletons will compete remotely from their perspective home bases.
“CYBATHLON 2020 Global Edition will take place on 13 – 14 November 2020. Approximately 60 CYBATHLON teams are poised to compete from their home bases by setting up race infrastructure (to the competition’s specifications) and filming their races. From Zurich, the competitions will be broadcasted in a unique live program. CYBATHLON pilots and their development teams will show what they have achieved together over the past years offering spectators an unforgettable experience. Find further information about the CYBATHLON 2020 Global Edition on this website: https://cybathlon.ethz.ch/en/.”
The Cybathlon race is a critical event that brings awareness to human augmentation and restorative devices while also encouraging innovation through friendly competition. The obstacle course is meant to be representative of the challenges of everyday living. In 2016, they included sit-to-stand on a surprisingly low chair, going up and down on ramps and stairs, opening and closing doors, taking longer leaps, and walking on sideways inclined terrain. This puts wearable robotics outside of the abstract lab testing and into an environment that more closely represents what their intended users would have to navigate daily. Furthermore, the adrenaline from the competitive nature of the event tests the efficiency of the exoskeletons in addition to their capabilities.
The Cybathlon Global 2020 Powered Exoskeleton Race has no less than 10 teams registered to compete, some returning from 2016 as well many first time competitors:

Angel Robotics 1 (KR)
Angel Robotics 2 (KR)
ExoAtlet (RU)
ExoAtlet (KR)
GenElek Tech (IN)
IHMC Robotics (US)
TWIICE (CH)
VariLeg enhanced 1 (CH)
VariLeg enhanced 2 (CH)
Wandercraft (FR)

You can find much more about the teams at the CYBATHLON 2020 Global Edition https://cybathlon.ethz.ch/en/teams.

Webinar: When to use Exoskeletons as PPE
2020-11-19 08:00 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MD
Webinar: Exoskeletons – Considerations When Deciding to Use Them as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is being organized the the ASTM International Exo Technology Center of Excellence, Thursday, November 19, 2020. This two hour event will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Not withstanding some opening and closing remarks by Dr. William “Bill” Bellote, the lionshare of the event will consist of a panel discussion with Q&A. The panelists include many familiar faces:

Donald R. Peterson, Ph.D., M.S., FAIMBE, Dean, College of Engineering and Engineering Technology Professor, Mechanical Engineering ASTM F48 Member and F48 Committee Chair

Dr. Donald R. Peterson is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Dean of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Northern Illinois University. He is also a joint professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University and a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). Dr. Peterson is a graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, earning degrees in Aerospace Engineering (BS) and Biomechanical Engineering (BS) and a graduate of the University of Connecticut, earning degrees in Mechanical Engineering (MS) and Biomedical Engineering (PhD). Dr. Peterson has over 25 years of experience in biomechanical engineering and medical research, which has been focused on measuring and modeling injury biomechanics and human, organ, and/or cell performance, including exposures to various physical stimuli and the subsequent biological responses. His research has involved the investigation of injury mechanisms and human–device interaction and has led to the generation of new technologies and systems, such as personal protection technologies, occupational exoskeleton systems, robotic assist devices for hemiplegic rehabilitation, long-duration biosensor monitoring and reporting systems, novel surgical and dental devices and instruments, smart medical devices for home patient care, and biotechnology systems. Some of Dr. Peterson’s research has been focused on hand-arm vibration exposures from tool use and he serves as a US delegate on the International Standards Organization Technical Committee (ISO/TC) 108/SC4 on Human Exposure to Mechanical Vibration and Shock. He is also currently serving as the Chair of the ASTM Committee F48 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits. Dr. Peterson has published over 115 peer-reviewed scholarly works and is the Editor-in-Chief for “The Biomedical Engineering Handbook”, published by CRC Press, and the Series Editor for the Biomedical Engineering textbook series, published by CRC Press..

Christopher R. Reid, PhD, Associate Technical Fellow – Human Factors & Ergonomics, Boeing Environment Health & Safety (EHS) ASTM F42 & F48 Member

Dr. Christopher Reid is a Human Factors & Ergonomics (HFE) Associate Technical Fellow for Boeing’s Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) organization in Charleston, SC. He is the EHS portfolio manager of wearable technology (e.g., exoskeletons, mixed reality, and wearable sensing and computing systems). Prior to Boeing, Dr. Reid worked for Lockheed Martin on astronaut spacesuit assessment as a Human Factors & Ergonomics Discipline Lead at NASA and as a Human Factors Engineer for the US Army assessing Warfighter personal protective equipment. Outside of Boeing, he is a member of the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society Executive Council as the 2020 President-Elect, advises on ergonomics as a Delegates Committee member for the National Safety Council’s Board of Directors, sits on the Editorial Boards for the Augmented Human Research and Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Sciences Journals, is a 2019-2020 Special Issue Editor for the Human Factors Journal, Chair of the Annual ErgoX International Symposium, and Chair of the HFE Subcommittee for ASTM F48 standards on Exoskeletons. He is a recipient of both the 2018 Rising Star Award from the National Safety Council and the 2020 Black Engineer of the Year Award. He graduated from the University of Central Florida, with degrees in Electrical Engineering Technology (BS) and Industrial Engineering (MS and PhD).

Marisol Barrero, M.S., CPE, Manager, Safety Innovations; Toyota Motor North America ASTM F42 & F48 Member

Marisol Barrero has worked for Toyota Motor North America (Georgetown, KY) in the Production Engineering Division’s Safety Group since December 2006. Currently she manages the development and integration of safety-related technology and innovations across manufacturing operations, which is a role that she started at Toyota. She serves on the Board of the Automotive Exoskeleton Group (AExG), sponsored via the Wearable Robotics Association, as well as the ASTM Exoskeleton Center of Excellence Research & Development Committee. At Toyota she previously held the position of Regional Ergonomics Manager, where she supported tools, standards, and procedures for Toyota’s 15 North American manufacturing facilities. Prior to joining Toyota, Marisol worked as an ergonomics consultant with Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group and Humantech, as well as a researcher with the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH). She received her B.A. and M.S. from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. She has been a Certified Professional Ergonomist since 2006.

GARY B. ORR, PE, CPE, Health Scientist – Ergonomist

Mr. Gary Orr is a licensed engineer and certified professional ergonomist. He works at the US Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the Office of Health Enforcement. His work includes developing policies, coordination of regional efforts in ergonomics and assistance for OSHA compliance officers with investigations involving musculoskeletal disorders, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, upper extremity disorders, back and lower extremity soft tissue disorders. In his previous work at OSHA (1994-2001) he was responsible for the job analysis portion of the OSHA ergonomics standard. He has been a consultant to a variety of industries including healthcare, distribution, meatpacking, textiles and was the lead ergonomist in the implementation of the ergonomics process for one of the largest employers in the United States. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland School of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Delia E. Treaster, Ph.D, CPE, Ergonomic Technical Advisor, Ohio Division of Safety and Hygiene ASTM F48 Member

Delia Treaster, Ph.D., is the Ergonomic Technical Advisor for the Division of Safety and Hygiene at the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, where she oversees technical professional development for twenty ergonomic consultants. She is a Certified Professional Ergonomist with several decades experience in helping companies reduce ergonomic hazards through practical and effective solutions. She has conducted ergonomic evaluations and training throughout the United States, working in industries as diverse as construction, healthcare, offices, meat-packing, manufacturing, and mail processing.

Dr. Treaster has been a member of ASTM since 2017 and is an active member of F48.02, the subcommittee on human factors and ergonomics. She has served as a co-editor for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Special Edition on Exoskeletons and has presented at numerous technical conferences. Prior to joining BWC, Dr. Treaster worked as a Research Scientist at Battelle Memorial Institute, and as an ergonomic consultant for the United States Postal Services, Humantech, and Travelers Insurance. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Factors Engineering and a Ph.D. in Occupational Biomechanics from Ohio State University.

Registration:
Registration for this webinar is now is open. There is no fee to attend this event. Link to the Exo Technology CoE Website: Webinar: Exoskeletons – Considerations When Deciding to Use Them as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Symposium: EXO-Ergo 2020
2020-11-25 07:00 - 09:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MD
Fondazione Ergo, with the full support of EAWS Platform and One-MTM Network, are organizing an action-packed EAWS International Symposium with an eye on industrial ergonomics and involvement in workplace design. This year will be the first edition, titled EXO-Ergo 2020. The main focus of online event will be centered around “The future of exoskeletons in the manufacturing industry.” The two hour online event is scheduled for Nov 25th, from 7:00 to 9:00 AM Pacific Time. The Exoskeleton Report covered a fraction of Fondazione Ergo’s involvement with exoskeletons in August: Fondazione Ergo Publishes Ergonomic Assessment Worksheet Using the MATE Exoskeleton
Even though EXO-Ergo 2020 is planned to be about two hours long, the schedule includes no less than eleven speakers. Talks will include automotive giants experienced with wearable technology Fiat Chrysler, Volkswagen and General Motors, certifications, assessment, adoption, science and research to standards:

EXO-Ergo Talks will present the state of the art of type, field of application, certification and workplace risk assessment of industrial exoskeleton. EAWS International Platform will chair a special session on the ESO-EAWS project.
Experience Talks, with the contribution by 3 global automotive makers being Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Volkswagen and General Motors, will be very relevant to get a comprehensive picture of the current scenario and future expectations.
Sciences and Standards Talks will focus on research activities and standard projects.

Downoad the full EXO-Ergo 2020 Symposium Program here.
You can register through eventbrite by follow this link.

Webinar: Back-Assist Exosuits
2020-12-16 09:00 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MD
The Wearable Robotics Association (WearRA) is proud to host a new webinar this December 16, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Pacific Time) titled: Past, Present, and Future of Back-Assist Exosuits. The webinar will be hosted by two outspoken key figures in the exoskeleton industry, Dr. Karl Zelik, and Matt Marino:
“Exosuits represent the ultimate in wearable technology, and include some of the most innovative products being developed today. But, unknown to many, they also have a long history. Like everything else, we can learn a lot by studying the history and present state to know where the future is headed. Attendees will hear from Dr. Karl Zelik, CSO and Matt Marino, Director of Ergonomics and Human Factors, HeroWear as they discuss the past, present, and future of back-assist exosuits.”

The Exoskeleton Report team does not have a preview of the slides that will be used during the webinar, but we are familiar with the work of both presenters, and you might be too. Dr. Karl Zelik worked with our team on an article for Forbes online on exoskeletons and exosuits not being associated with any muscle degeneration. In addition to his many publications, he is also active on social media and often engages in technical discussions. The second presenter, Matt Marino, has multiple years of experience applying wearable devices at the workplace on an as-needed basis. In addition to his work and many related committees, he is also a founding member of the ASTM Exo Technology Center of Excellence. Given their years of past experience and involvement in communicating the potential impact of exoskeletons and exosuits for occupational applications, the upcoming webinar is bound to be interesting.
As the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the globe, webinars and online presentations are now the premier method to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in wearable robotics and exosuit technology. For more information and registration, please visit the WearRA site: http://www.wearablerobotics.com/events-2/

Toyota Mobility Challenge Announcement Event
2020-12-17 06:00 - 08:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | MD
The three-year-long Toyota Mobility Challenge is scheduled to end December 17th, with a live event that will reveal the overall winner. This may or may not be an exoskeleton innovation. The competition saw innovators from around the world submit game-changing technologies to improve the lives of people with lower-limb paralysis.
As a reminder, finalists include teams from Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States (2), and they’ve been developing their ideas with mentors and subject matter experts over the last two years. One of the five finalists will receive $1 million to bring their device to market and improve the mobility and independence of millions of people with lower-limb paralysis.
The powered lower-body exoskeleton Quix by IHMC and MYOLYN is one of five finalists of the Mobility Unlimited Challenge by the Toyota Mobility Foundation in partnership with Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre. Each finalist receives a $500,000 grant for further development and a shot at the $1M grand prize.
The Quix hip-knee-ankle wearable robot is joined by the other four finalists:

The Evowalk – sensory/electrical stimulation sleeve
Moby – shared powered wheelchair
Phoenix Ai Ultralight Wheelchair – intelligent wheelchair
Qolo – wheeled platform with a sit-to-stand powered brace with tilt control

The scheduled speaker includes:

Chanel Hong, Executive Assitant Toyota Research Institute
Sir Philip Craven, Member of the Board of Directors Toyota Motor Corporation
Sophie Morgan, Journalist

Even if an exoskeleton technology doesn’t win the overall competition, the Toyota Mobility Challenge was successful in raising awareness on the potential for improving the state of the art for those living with lower body disability. It met its goal of stirring innovation and getting people to talk about technology for those with disabilities. This is a tough topic, especially in the U.S. It reminds people how fragile they are. But new technology will not immerge by just waiting around for it. Dreams will only become reality through hard work, communication, sharing of ideas, and financial investments.
You can register for the event at https://winner.mobilityunlimited.org
Congratulations to all the participants and finalists!

AnyBody Tech Webinar
2021-01-12 08:00 - 09:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
The 3D virtual simulation company AnyBody Technology A/S is planning to host a webcast titled biomechanical investigation of a passive upper extremity exoskeleton for manual material handling – A computational parameter study.
The webcast will be presented twice on Tuesday, Jan 12th:
Jan 12th, 9:00 AM (CET) (or 12am Pacific): https://conta.cc/38WtCrD
Jan 12th, 5:00 PM (CET) (or 8am Pacific): https://conta.cc/3rRW5aI
Both sessions will be held by Bo Eitel Seiferheld, M.Sc. Sports Technology, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg Universitet, Denmark.
“Manual material handling tasks at supermarket stores is a very common activity and it is associated with the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. This presentation will show how on-site data recordings can be used together with the AnyBody Modeling System to assess the benefits of a passive upper extremity exoskeleton as a protective device. Additionally, it will provide an interesting computational parameter approach to investigate how to adjust an exoskeleton to fit a specific task.”
The presentation promises to address many hot-topics for exoskeletons such as efficacy and adjusting to specific user cases.
AnyBody Technolgy has been very active in integrating computer-aided design (CAD) models with exoskeletons or other wearable devices. In addition to modeling the internal skeleton, the software also models muscles and reaction forces. The ExR team encountered this software solution back in 2015 (Modeling a Human in an Exoskeleton: AnyBody Simulation) and the company has been actively engaged in the exoskeleton industry ever since.
There is still much discussion in the community at large on the accuracy and usefulness of virtual models when it comes to understanding the human-machine interactions of wearable devices. Without a doubt, however, there are more software simulations than ever before that are looking at human-machine interactions, especially those between a user and an exoskeleton device.

Ottobock EXO Webinar
2021-01-20 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Ottobock is planning to host a new exoskeleton webinar, January 20th, 2021. This will be one of the first exoskeleton webinars of the new year. The title is “Exoskeleton for industrial use cases” and it will likely heavily feature the Paexo line of passive exoskeletons. There are, however, common themes amongst wearable devices for occupational use so it is likely that this webinar will be a good introduction to the field.
In addition to the English version, future exo webinars will be in German and French. This is the schedule from the Paexo website:
Upcoming webinars:
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
10.00 am CET EXO Webinar – GERMAN
5.00 pm CET EXO Webinar – ENGLISH
Thursday, January 21, 2021
2.00 pm CET EXO Webinar – FRENCH
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
10.00 am CET EXO Webinar – GERMAN
2.00 pm CET EXO Webinar – FRENCH
5.00 pm CET EXO Webinar – ENGLISH
Directly from the source:
“Exoskeletons provide daily relief for employees in industry. From overhead work, lifting activities in logistics, to activities that stress the joints in the hand. There are very different application scenarios for exoskeletons.
Are you interested in exoskeletons for your company?
Enter the world of exoskeletons and work ergonomics and learn more about the development of exoskeletons in our introductory webinar “Exoskeletons for Industry”. We present the latest state of the art in Ottobock Paexo technology and give you the opportunity to ask questions directly.
We look forward to welcoming you personally and to conducting an initial ad hoc ergonomics analysis with you. There are no costs for participating in this webinar.”

Webinar: Ottobock: #ExoMeet Logistics
2021-02-25 06:00 - 07:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Ottobock is hosting a webinar on occupational exoskeletons for work and industry titled “ExoMeet Logistics – How to overcome the limits of automation in logistics?”
Over the past two decades, tasks that have been easy to automate have been automated. Even with the progression of robotics technology, many sub-assemblies or products are awkwardly shaped or lack repetition to make automation feasible. This webinar will be an opportunity to learn how to overcome the limits of automation of load handling in logistics:
– Presentation of the latest study results on back exoskeletons
– Why do we need exoskeletons in logistics?
– What are the user experiences with exoskeletons?
– What are the challenges in logistics 2021?
– How exoskeletons work in logistics?
– What will drive exoskeleton adoption?
– Paexo Back Product Presentation
There will be three opportunities to see this webinar:
09:00 – 10:30 CET German Program
15:00 – 16:30 CET English Program
9am – 10.30am EST English Program (6am – 7:30am PST)
Registration: https://www.linkedin.com/events/exomeetlogistics-allaboutexoske6757297354946187264/
In the past, Ottobock has followed the trend to keep exoskeleton presentations as more than just an infomercial for their products. Expect to see educational material on upper body exoskeletons in general. Overall, all exoskeleton developers have done a good job at emphasizing not only what their technology can do for their customers, but how this technology can revolutionize work and construction.
If you are not familiar with the Paexo line of exoskeleton for work and industry, take a brief look at our catalog for a birds-eye view of the three dozen devices in this category that are becoming available on the market.

WearRAcon 21 Innovation Challenge Submission
2021-02-28 | MD
The Wearable Robotics Association will host the 6th annual WearRAcon Innovation Challenge. Similar to previous years, the finalist will once again have the opportunity to present their projects on the main stage of WearRAcon 21. This is an amazing favorable moment for individuals, labs, students, researchers, and entrepreneurs to compete in a friendly vying for first place.
Important dates to keep in mind:

Submit intent to participate by Sunday, January 31, 2021 | 11:59 PM (EST). COMPLETE FORM
Submit your final proposal by Sunday, February 28, 2021 | 11:59 PM (EST). COMPLETE APPLICATION

For more information, visit the WearRA Innovation Challenge webpage.
Five years of WearRA Innovation Challenge
If you haven’t heard of this event or just need a refresher, we have you covered! Take a look at our coverage from half a decade of this competition:
WearRAcon 20 Virtual Innovation Challenge Results
WearRAcon20 Innovation Challenge Submissions Open Until Jan 24, 2020
The Fourth WearRAcon Innovation Challenge was the Best One Yet!
The WearRAcon Innovation Challenge 2019 is Now Open for Submissions!
WearRAcon18 Innovation Challenge
The Wearable Robotics Association Innovation Challenge 2018 is Coming This March 21-23
Wearable Robotics Association Innovation Challenge 2017
Opportunity: Innovation Competition 2017
WearRAcon16 Innovation Competition
Good luck to all of the competitors!

Webinar: MATE-XT Shoulder Support Exoskeleton by Comau
2021-03-24 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
The Wearable Robotics Association is happy to offer a new Exoskeleton Webinar on the MATE-XT passive shoulder support exoskeleton by Comau. The webinar is titled: MATE-XT Exoskeleton: Taking Lightweight, Breathable Ergonomic Support to the eXTreme.
Date: March 24, 2020
Time: 12:00 – 1:00pm (EDT)
Fees: $0/Members & Students and $25/Non-members
You can register at the WearRA website: Register Here
The webinar will feature Comau’s Wearable Robotics Specialist, Cayla Zielinski, who will present the benefits of incorporating the latest product in Comau’s wearable ergonomics line, MATE-XT. “Discover the only commercially-available exoskeleton with Ergonomic Assessment Work-Sheet (EAWS) certification, attesting to its ability to reduce biomechanical loads during manually laborious tasks.”
Comau is an industrial exoskeleton developer. The company is a specialist in industrial automation under the direction and coordination of Fiat Chrysler. The company’s main wearable product line is the MATE series of passive shoulder support exoskeleton for work and industry.

About the MATE-XT
Introduced in Dec of 2020, the MATE-XT is the next generation of wearable exoskeletons by COMAU. It is ruggedized for indoor and outdoor use. This exo for work and industry is made to handle water, dust, UV-light, and larger temperature ranges than its predecessor. In addition, the MATE-XT has been redesigned with a slimmer and lighter carbon-fiber structure that is also more breathable.
“Take lightweight and highly breathable ergonomic support to the eXTreme.” Similar to other shoulder support exoskeletons, the MATE-XT is intended for: “Any task that requires a prolonged used of the upper limbs, specifically at a flexion/extension angle of about 90 degrees (i.e. so-called ‘overhead’ work.”
Technical specifications (circa Dec 2020):

passive spring-based mechanism
addition of breathable fabrics
8 assistance levels
redesigned lock/unlock mechanism for easier donning and doffing
lighter weight carbon fiber structure
intended height of users: 1.6 m (5.2 feet) to 1.9 m 6.2 feet)

The MATE-XT is designed with a partnership of IUVO and Össur and validated in a collaboration with Ospedale Valudce and Fondazioneergo. Fondazionergo has published an EAWS workplace evaluation guide based on this device: Fondazione Ergo Publishes Ergonomic Assessment Worksheet Using the MATE Exoskeleton (Aug, 2020). The EAWS is not meant to replace intensive exoskeleton testing but instead, it provides a solid starting point for objective evaluation based on measurements and observations. Furthermore, the MATE-XT is certified under EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC with “taking into account” ISO 13482/2014 technical standard on personal care robots. As of Q1 2021, the long term benefits of the MATE-XT (and indeed all exoskeletons) remain under investigation.
About The Ergonomic Assessment WorkSheet (EAWS)
Fondazione Ergo has published an ergonomic guide to quickly evaluate ergonomically challenging or repetitive tasks with and without an exoskeleton. The Ergonomic Assessment WorkSheet (EAWS) is a four-page document designed to provide a structured method for evaluating tasks and the probability of injury to the human body. The forms include pre-calculated values for common conditions that can be chosen based on observed measurements such as body position, task duration, and repetitiveness.
The initial evaluation was conducted using the MATE (Muscular Aiding Tech Exoskeleton), a passive shoulder support wearable device. The MATE is made by Comau Exoskeleton and is developed in collaboration with ÖSSUR (specialists in orthopedics) and IUVO (a spin-off of Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italian BioRobotics Institute). The MATE was the first exoskeleton used with the EAWS. The EAWS serves as an “an ergonomic tool for a detailed biomechanical overload risk assessment, developed to provide an overall risk evaluation that includes every biomechanical risk to which an operator may be exposed during a working task.”
The full report and EAWS titled, ESO-EAWS Project SUMMARY REPORT, “How the exoskeleton changes the assessment of biomechanical overload risk for the EAWS system” can be found on the foundation’s website. Those interested in just the EAWS can visit http://www.eaws.it.
The EAWS is not meant to replace intensive exoskeleton testing but instead, it provides a solid starting point for objective evaluation based on measurements and observations. Fondazione Ergo is a not-for-profit organization that aims to bring together companies, trade unions, universities, and researchers in training and certification projects while remaining neutral.

NeuroAbilities Webinar – Exoskeleton Technologies:
2021-03-25 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
NeuroAbilities Webinar – Exoskeleton Technologies: Advances in clinical and home use with global market influences

Description

Exoskeleton industry leaders, researchers, clinicians and users will discuss the advances in R&D, navigating product approval processes, barriers to delivery, clinical and home applications, and global market implications impacting the industry. Next steps to advance the technologies, remove barriers and improve affordability will be explored along with funding opportunities.
Moderator: Sandy Hanebrink, OTR/L, CLP, FAOTA, Executive Director, Touch the Future Inc.; promoter of the Walk2Walk Campaign.
Panelists:
• Michael McKinley, Vice President of Engineering and co-founder, SuitX
• Geoff Hopkins, Former U.S. Army Specialist, Paralyzed Veterans of America; Exoskeleton User
• Marka Danielle Rodgers, Teacher, Advocate, and Mentor; Exoskeleton User
• Amber Walter, Physical Therapist
Event Conductor: Christopher M. Lee, PhD, Managing Director, International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), Chief Learning Officer, G3ict
Detailed agenda at https://g3ict.org/events/neuroabilities-webinar-1
The webinar is part of NeuroAbilities, G3ict’s newest dedicated program to explore the current state of assistive solutions based on advanced Neurotechnologies, Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabling persons with disabilities and older persons to better interact with their environment.
NeuroAbilities website: https://g3ict.org/research_programs/neuroabilities
Real-time closed captioning will be provided.

The webinar is part of NeuroAbilities, G3ict’s newest dedicated program to explore the current state of assistive solutions based on advanced Neurotechnologies, Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabling persons with disabilities and older persons to better interact with their environment.

Speakers’ Biographies:

Sandy Hanebrink, OTR/L, CLP, FAOTA, is the Executive Director of Touch the Future, Inc. She is an occupational therapist who has developed a practice niche in advocacy, assistive technology, disability laws compliance by state and local governments, emergency preparedness and networking individuals with disabilities and service providers to the necessary resources and funding to achieve individual life goals. She works with both assistive technology and mainstream industries to development technology for improved independence and increased employment opportunities for disabled individuals. She has launched innovative fund-raising strategies to help eliminate barriers to accessing necessary technologies like On the Spot crowdfunding, Touch the Future grants and the Walk2Walk virtual events. Ms. Hanebrink currently serves on the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Diversity Equity & Inclusion Task Force, Co-Chairs the Multicultural Diversity and Inclusion Network in OT, is on Board of OT Leaders and Legacies Society and is a Founder/Chair of the Network of Occupational Therapy Practitioners with Disabilities and Supporters (NOTPD). She served as Strand Advisor for the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) for over ten years and facilitated the National Alliance Partnership of AOTA and ATIA. Ms. Hanebrink has also assisted the G3ict and IAAP with accessible event planning for the M-Enabling Summit and IAAP certification events. She has multiple presentations and publications at the local to international levels, including topics on effectively educating and employing individuals with disabilities, developing self-evaluation and transition plans, architectural accessibility, reasonable accommodations, disability laws, disabled sports and assistive technology. Ms. Hanebrink is a Paralympian, earning Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, American records, and World records for multiple sports. She has received many awards and recognitions for her work.

Michael McKinley is a Co-founder and Vice President of SuitX. Dr. McKinley’s focus is on bringing new exoskeleton systems to market for Medical, Industrial, Recreational, and Military applications. He leads the design, development, and manufacturing of Medical, Industrial, Recreational, and Military exoskeleton technologies at SuitX. His work in this field has resulted in numerous patents and publications, as well as various awards and grants such as the UAE Robotics for Good Award, Edison Award, and Small Business Innovation Research Grants. Dr. McKinley is an inventor of the backX and PhoeniX systems.

Amber Walter, PT, DPT, NCS, Clinical Science Manager, Board-Certified in Neurologic Physical Therapy, Sheltering Arms Institute.
Amber Walter has been a physical therapist since 2007 and currently holds the position of Clinical Science Manager at Sheltering Arms Institute where her primary responsibilities include oversight of knowledge translation and clinically-oriented research in a 114-bed freestanding inpatient rehabilitation hospital. She has extensive clinical and mentoring experience as a board-certified neurologic clinical specialist in both inpatient and outpatient settings at Sheltering Arms, and she received the Clinical Excellence Award in Neurologic Physical Therapy in 2018 from the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy. Amber’s research experience is significant for coordination of two clinical trials at Sheltering Arms to investigate rehabilitation with exoskeletons for persons with spinal cord injuries and stroke. She recently participated in article review for an Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy Clinical Practice Guideline on locomotion. In a previous position as knowledge broker, Amber implemented a clinical practice guideline for use of advanced technology for gait recovery and led others in strategies to improve evidence-based practice. She has presented at the state, national, and international levels on rehabilitation outcome measurement, clinical practice guideline implementation, advanced rehabilitation technology, and knowledge translation. She enjoys advocacy for the profession of physical therapy and previously served as the State Legislative Chair for the Virginia Physical Therapy Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University, and she graduated with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Old Dominion University.

Geoff Hopkins, a former U.S. Army Specialist, has served Paralyzed Veterans for more than sixteen years, since shortly after a motorcycle accident paralyzed him. With a concentration in vocational rehabilitation and sports programs, Hopkins established the organization’s Paralyzed Veterans of America Racing Team in 2009, and is still an active team participant. He currently oversees the recreational therapy program at the Tampa VA in Tampa, FL, where he lives with his wife and two young sons.

Marka Danielle Rodgers has been performing Classical and Modern Ballet, along with Dance for Musical Theatre since she was nine years old. Marka was raised and trained in Baltimore, MD at the Harriet Sauber Eisner Studio and The Baltimore Ballet. She also regularly performed with The Baltimore Actors Theater, Spotlighters Theater, The Vagabond Players and other local professional theater companies. After high school at the The Bryn Mawr School, Marka studied at the Boston Ballet School and was offered a full scholarship at The Boston Conservatory and then Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, where she was invited into the Ailey’s prestigious Ailey II Performance Company. In 1981, having been offered a job to teach Modern Ballet in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Marka took her work there for nearly 8 years, training dancers and actors, as well as performing in and choreographing for Concert Dance, numerous International Musical Theater Productions, Television and Movies. Upon returning to the United States, in order to have Health Insurance, Marka became a Firefighter and EMT, working for The James Island Fire Department and Charleston County EMS, in her mind, a new kind of performance art. Always the dancer and teacher, she also renewed her studies in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology and pedagogy, in order to train dancers and non-dancers alike to be HEALTHIER of body and mind. She became a Personal Trainer and is a Corrective Exercise Specialist with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. After a Cervical Spinal Cord Injury in 1994 that should have left Marka paralyzed from the shoulders down, she used her own Dance Fitness program, Universal Physicality, a ballet based exercise program which she created in Argentina, as her physical therapy. In 2001, she was invited to teach this technique at the Medical University of SC and at other dance and fitness studios. After a second Cervical SCI in 2012, that left her a full-time wheelchair user, Marka studied wheelchair dance in New York City with Kitty Lunn and Alice Sheppard at Infinity Dance Theater, where she was invited to perform, as well as in Atlanta with Full Radius Dance Company. She has helped highlight Integrative Dance performances in Charleston with several local dance and music companies. Marka is also a certified Yoga Instructor, and Accessible Yoga Instructor, adapting Yoga for all different abilities as she has had to for herself. She also is very passionate about SCI Peer Mentorship and volunteers her time at local hospitals and with the SC Spinal Cord Injury Association. Marka now takes her passion for dance to a whole new place of awareness. She is more determined than ever to help dancers of all ages and levels to stay fit and healthy and hopes to share with anyone who wants to watch and/or learn, her expression of the Art that she has always loved, along with the message that SCI and other physical challenges, doesn’t mean life as you knew it has ended, it just means the journey has changed directions.

Christopher M. Lee, Ph.D., is an international expert in the accessibility field, he is an author and public speaker on learning disabilities and assistive technology. He has received and served as principal investigator on numerous research grants and contracts. Dr. Christopher Lee serves Managing Director of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), a division of G3ict.

Source: https://g3ict.org/events/neuroabilities-webinar-1

ASTM F48 Committee Meeting
2021-04-06 - 2021-04-08 | Online
The ASTM International Committee F48 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits is scheduled to meet from March 30th – April 1st,2021 April 6 to April 8, 2021. Meeting space was secured at ASTM Headquarters in Conshohocken, PA. However, with the Covid-19 pandemic continuing its hold on North America the meetings will be held virtually. The committees will have three days’ worth of meetings and will cater for meeting overlap during these days. The meeting is for committee members only, but applying to become a member is not complicated. For more information regarding F45 and F48, please visit their webpages below:

Committee F45 on Driverless Automatic Guided Industrial Vehicles: HERE
Committee F48 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits: HERE

What is ASTM F48? See our news and articles related to the committee.

WearRAcon 21 Virtual
2021-04-27 - 2021-04-29 | Online
The Wearable Robotics Association will be hosting its 6th annual conference, WearRAcon 21, this April 27-29, 2021. With current events in mind, the conference will once again be held virtually. The WearRAcon series has proven to be the largest concentration of exoskeleton, exosuit, and wearable robotics talks and interested parties. Each conference typically runs between two to two and a half days. Considerations are given to all subfields of the exoskeleton industry: medical, industrial (occupational), military, and recreational. More details are coming soon, but this is what we know about the 2021 iteration of the event:
WearRAcon 21 will retain its format of keynote speakers and focused series of talks, as well as the Innovation Competition. This year’s keynote speaker will be Norm Bafunno, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing and Engineering, Toyota Motor North America. Toyota Motor North America is one of the largest adopters of passive exoskeletons for industrial applications and they are coming towards the end of a well planned two-year study. Norm Bafunno will have much to talk about.
Additional event highlights include:

Automobile Exoskeleton Group
Logistics Forum
Insurance Forum
Virtual Demos
Innovation Challenge

As well as topics on medical/rehabilitation exoskeletons, industrial/occupational and standards/insurance. Conference registration will open in January. Visit the WearRA website for more information.
If you are not familiar with the WearRAcon series, take a look at some of our event coverage from the previous five years.
Furthermore, submissions for the WearRAcon Innovation Challenge are open between January 31st and February 28th, 2021. This is an excellent opportunity for labs, startups, and even single-person innovators to present their wearable robotics ideas in front of the movers and shakers of the exoskeleton industry.

Webinar: Exoskeleton and PPE Interface Challenges Roundtable
2021-08-11 06:00 - 09:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
The Exo Technology Center of Excellence (ET CoE) with the support of ASTM International will host a second roundtable on the vital topic of integrating occupational exoskeletons with other personal protective equipment (PPE). Industrial exoskeletons don’t exist in a vacuum and they often have to interact not only with the user but with other optional or mandatory safety equipment prescribed at the job site. Depending on the task, upper and lower body exoskeletons may have to interact and be compatible with safety shoes, hard hats, safety glasses, chemical protective suits, fall harnesses, respirators, spark protective covering, and others. This is the second online event hosted by ASTM International ET CoE on this topic with the first one held in 2020 “Exoskeletons – Considerations When Deciding to Use Them as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).”
Scheduled speakers include:

Kalavati Bhashyam, Harmonic Bionics

Karola Hagner, Bundeswehr

Tricia Hock, SEI

Philip Mattson, Department of Homeland Security

Brian Shiels, ArcWear

This webinar is free for ASTM members, and registration and additional information can be found on the ET CoE website here.

Summer Webinar Series: Medical Systems
2021-08-24 01:00 - 02:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
The EUROBENCH European robotic framework for bipedal locomotion benchmarking together with Wearable Robots and COST Action is organizing a Summer Webinar Series. The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. The Medical Systems webinar will include three presentations on medical exoskeletons:

Wearable exoskeletons for people with a spinal cord injury – Noël Keijsers, Senior researcher at Sint Maartenskliniek (20′)
Measuring exoskeletons performance: how to combine multiple measuring systems – Matteo Lancini, Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Thermal Measurement at the University of Brescia (20′)
The process of clinical trials in the context of bringing a product to market – Jean-Louis Constanza, Chief Business and Clinical Officer at Wandercraft (20′)
Round Table (30’)

Time:
The webinar will take place on August 24, 10:00-11:30 (CET) or 1:00 – 2:30 AM (PST) which, unfortunately, is in the middle of the night for those in North and South America.
How to join the webinar?
To attend the webinar, you need to register before August 23, 2021. You will receive confirmation and the link to access the platform a day before the webinar in the e-mail account you registered with. Link: https://eurobench2020.eu/webinar-medical-systems/
Speakers:

Dr. Noël Keijsers has been working at the Research Department of Sint Maartenskliniek Research since 2005 and leads the researchers of the RevaResearch team since 2017. Within the research, his focus is on the biomechanics of walking of patients from the departments of Rehabilitation and Orthopaedics.
Matteo Lancini Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Thermal Measurement (ING-IND/12) at the University of Brescia (Italy).
Jean-Louis Constanza, Chief Business and Clinical Officer at Wandercraft.

Webinar: Applications for Exoskeletons
2021-08-31 06:00 - 08:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
ASTM International Exo Technology Center of Excellence (ET CoE) is hosting a webinar on Applications for Exoskeletons on Tuesday, August 31st, 9:00 am ET – 11:00 am ET. Exoskeleton technology for the sake of having a new technology wouldn’t be very useful. This webinar aims to explore the current applications of exoskeletons and where the devices are proving to be of use to those who wear them.
“The webinar will cover applications in healthcare, military, industry, and construction. Speakers may cover current usage, methods to determine which applications are most compatible with exoskeletons, policies, training, and practices when implementing exoskeletons, needed testing before implementation, and other relevant topics.”
Scheduled speakers based on their applications domain include:

Medical: Ozell Sanders, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Military: Jennifer Neugebauer, U.S. Army Data and Analysis Center

Industry: Chris Reid, Boeing

Construction: Karl Jefferson, LiUNA, Travise M. Parsons, Associated Director, OSH

This webinar is free for ASTM members, and registration and additional information can be found on the ET CoE website here.

Ottobock Paexo Exo Webinar
2021-09-16 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
Ottobock is preparing to host a Thursday, September 16th, 2021 introductory webinar to exo technology. Ottobock is the creator of the Paexo series of industrial exoskeletons: Paexo Shoulder, Paexo Back, Paexo Thumb, and Paexo Neck. The webinars will be in French, English, and German.
Ottobock will be hosting this webinar in addition to the Paexo Day Berlin in-person event on September 20th, 2021.
“Exoskeletons provide daily relief for employees in industry. From overhead work, lifting activities in logistics, to activities that stress the joints in the hand. There are very different application scenarios for exoskeletons.
Are you interested in exoskeletons for your company?
Enter the world of exoskeletons and work ergonomics and learn more about the development of exoskeletons in our introductory webinar “Exoskeletons for Industrial use cases”. We present the latest state-of-the-art in Ottobock Paexo technology and give you the opportunity to ask questions directly.
We look forward to welcoming you personally and to conducting an initial ad hoc ergonomics analysis with you. There are no costs for participating in this webinar.
Upcoming webinars:
Thursday, September 16, 2021
10.00 am CET EXO Webinar – GERMAN
1.00 pm CET EXO Webinar – FRENCH
5.00 pm CET | 11.00 am EST EXO Webinar – ENGLISH”
Link: https://paexo.com/exo-webinare/?lang=en

Paexo Demo Day Berlin
2021-09-20 00:00 - 08:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Therapy Hall, Bötzow Areal, Prenzlauer Allee 242, 10405 Berlin, Therapy Hall, Bötzow Areal, Prenzlauer Allee 242, Berlin, 10405, Germany
The ExR team always claims that the best way to understand an exoskeleton or an exosuit is to personally don it and try it out in a real or simulated work environment. Ottobock, the maker of the Paexo industrial exoskeleton series plans to do just that. The company will host a Paexo Demo Day in Berlin on September 20th, 2021 with five workstations available for 20 to 30 minutes at a time.
While an in-person event during this Covid-19 crisis sounds daunting, Ottobock is taking additional precautions for the safety of its employees and participants. The demo rooms will be ventilated and face masks are required, in addition to extra hygiene concepts.
Trying out a Paexo Shoulder prototype at WearRAcon 18.
Registration and additional information can be found on the event’s website: https://paexo.com/demo-day-berlin/ The scheduled time is September 20th, 2021 at the Therapy Hall, Bötzow Areal, Prenzlauer Allee 242, 10405 Berlin. The Paexo Demo Day will take place from 9 am to 5 pm local German time. Each tour is expected to take about 20-30 minutes, with a new one starting every 10 minutes. The organizers ask that interested parties register in advance to reserve a time slot.
The Exoskeleton Report team has had the opportunity to demo one of the Paexo industrial exoskeletons, the Paexo Shoulder, not once but twice. Having the opportunity to physically don a wearable provides a better picture of what the exoskeleton industry is all about than any amount of writing can. It truly can be an “Aha! Eureka!” moment.
If additional resources were available, there are people and organizations that would already like to see a mobile exhibit of exoskeleton technology travel around the U.S. and the E.U. For now, however, the Ottobock Demo Day Berlin is the closest event to that vision of the future.
