Adoption of wearable assistive technologies relies heavily on improvement of existing control system models. Knowing which models to use and how to improve them is difficult to determine due to the number of proposed solutions with relatively little broad comparisons. One type of these models, muscle activation models, describes the nonlinear relationship between neural inputs and mechanical activation of the muscle. Many muscle activation models can be found in the literature, but no comparison is available to guide the community on limitations and improvements. In this research, an EMG-driven elbow motion model is developed for the purpose of evaluating muscle activation models. Seven muscle activation models are used in an optimization procedure to determine which model has the best performance. Root mean square errors in muscle torque estimation range from 1.67–2.19 Nm on average over varying input trajectories. The computational resource demand was also measured during the optimization procedure, as it is an important aspect for determining if a model is feasible for use in a particular wearable assistive device. This study provides insight into the ability of these models to estimate elbow motion and the trade-off between estimation accuracy and computational demand.
Recently, there has been a trend toward assistive mechatronic devices that are wearable. These devices provide the ability to assist without tethering the user to a specific location. However, there are characteristics of these devices that are limiting their ability to perform motion tasks and the adoption rate of these devices into clinical settings. The objective of this research is to perform a review of the existing wearable assistive devices that are used to assist with musculoskeletal and neurological disorders affecting the upper limb. A review of the existing literature was conducted on devices that are wearable, assistive, and mechatronic, and that provide motion assistance to the upper limb. Five areas were examined, including sensors, actuators, control techniques, computer systems, and intended applications. Fifty-three devices were reviewed that either assist with musculoskeletal disorders or suppress tremor. The general trends found in this review show a lack of requirements, device details, and standardization of reporting and evaluation. Two areas to accelerate the evolution of these devices were identified, including the standardization of research, clinical, and engineering details, and the promotion of multidisciplinary culture. Adoption of these devices into their intended application domains relies on the continued efforts of the community.
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