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This brief describes the assistance regulation controller (ARC), a nonlinear admittance controller for powered orthoses (POs) and wearable robotics that simultaneously facilitates task completion and encourages user effort. This brief also introduces a novel acceleration-limited proportional derivative controller (ALPDC) that guarantees the stability of the ARC's inner position control loop. The stability analysis of the ALPDC shows that this simple and robust position controller promotes safer human-robot interactions in a large class of admittancecontrolled haptic devices. Both the ARC and ALPDC are implemented on a one-degree-of-freedom PO designed to assist forearm flexion and extension. Experiments performed by a healthy male subject confirm that the ALPDC guarantees stable user-device interactions and bounded tracking errors during highly dynamic forearm motions that lead to instability with a conventional controller.

Advancements in technology represent hope for children with complex neurologic conditions and their families. Clinical specialists, patients, their families and experts in assistive technology development must work together to advance this technology for unique populations with the greatest need. This paper highlights an excellent example of collaboration, following appropriate research protocol, to study the use of a power walker (the Solowalk) for the first time in a child with cerebral palsy. The result was impressive. A child with cerebral palsy, and associated significant weakness and contractures, who hadn't walked in over two years, was able to walk using this device. This led to feedback from family stating "I have read articles over the years since my grandson was born and dreaming of the day that this might occur. Your group is to be commended." This impressive positive result and heartfelt feedback has fueled ongoing team work to further study this device. We aime to determine which children can most benefit, what modifications to the device would enhance its use and how it can be most effectively utilized to improve function, participation, health and wellbeing.

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