This research project aims to utilize an “at-scale” approach to address these gaps (inhibiting large-scale exoskeleton deployments) through the development of a modeling approach to predict the biomechanical consequences of exoskeleton use; design of a best-practices implementation approach for exoskeletons while considering socio-technical-organizational factors; and by “closing the loop” by creating a physical robotics platform to serve as an exoskeleton emulator to accelerate exoskeleton design.
The goal of this project is to research the balance between safety, workload, and economic considerations in these semi-automated socio-technical infrastructure systems to provide improved design and policy tools to both infrastructure providers and regulators by integrating the disciplines of systems engineering, human factors engineering, decision and organizational theories, and economic production theory.
This EArly-concept Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) project will promote the progress of science and advance the national health, prosperity and welfare by identifying basic principles of human motor skill learning when using multi-joint arm exoskeletons to perform complex tasks.
This project will design, build, control, and assess the effectiveness of a body-scale physical interaction simulation cobot in Virtual Reality that provides customizable force and position feedback at the hands and feet.
The broader impact and potential societal benefits of this Convergence Accelerator Phase II project will be to generate technology-based learning solutions that can support and augment the performance and safety of emergency response (ER) personnel.
The goal of this project is to develop effective human-machine interfaces and adaptive control of exoskeleton assistance for application of powered whole-body exoskeletons in manufacturing environments.
This is an NSF-funded Research Collaboration Network focused on understanding what the optimal role of a human operator should be, within the increasingly automated technological landscape of a traditionally physically-laborious job such as farming (in the context of shared control and cooperation between human and multiple semiautonomous robots, to enhance health, safety and productivity among farm workers).
The objective of this project is to use human-centered design principles to develop flexible robotic suits for farmers with mobility limitations to improve their work performance, and to evaluate the biomechanical effects of the developed technological solutions using lab and field tests of farm workers.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
“Exploring acute lumbar biomechanical and physiological effects of a sit-stand paradigm”
The goal of this project is to develop the required instrumentation to perform multi-modality measurements of muscle activity and hemodynamics measurements in the lumbar musculature during a sit-stand paradigm.
Role: Principal Investigator
“Bio-behavioral monitoring to predict Self-Injurious Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder”
Institute for Society, Culture and Environment ; Srinivasan (PI); 04/01/17 – 03/31/18
The goal of this project is to develop a real-time system to predict self-injurious behavior (SIB) in autistic children, using wearable sensors and innovative data analytics methods of movement behaviors.
Role: Principal Investigator
“Evaluating the effects of multi-axial whole body vibration exposures on postural stability in mining heavy vehicle equipment operators”
Alpha Foundation AFC618-68; MPIs: Srinivasan and Kim; 07/01/17-12/31/18
The goal of this project is to quantify to which extent postural stability is affected by exposure to mining vehicle vibrations and testing the efficacy of specific interventions to reduce vibration exposures in mining trucks.
Role: Principal Investigator (MPI with Kim from Oregon State University)
“Effects of Exoskeleton Use on Worker Performance, Health, and Safety in Manual Material Handling Tasks: Lab- and Field-Based Assessments”
College-Industry Council on Material Handling Education; Nussbaum (PI); 03/01/18-09/30/19
The goal of this project is to understand the effects of back-support exoskeleton use on productivity and physical exposures when workers perform repetitive lifting tasks.
Role: Co-Investigator
“Assessing the Potential of Exoskeletons for Ohio Industries”
Ohio Occupational Safety and Health; Nussbaum (PI); 04/01/18 – 12/31/19
This work seeks to understand better both the advantages and limitations of different exoskeleton technologies for diverse work tasks and for different age groups (i.e., young vs. older), and to begin to identify specific work tasks that may benefit from a specific exoskeleton technology.
