An open source graphical user interface for wireless communication and operation of wearable robotic technology

Abstract

Introduction Wearable robotic exoskeletons offer the potential to move gait training from the clinic to the community thereby providing greater therapy dosage in more naturalistic settings. To capitalize on this potential, intuitive and robust interfaces are necessary between robotic devices and end users. Such interfaces hold great promise for research if they are also designed to record data from the robot during its use. Methods We present the design and validation of an open source graphical user interface (GUI) for wireless operation of and real-time data logging from a pediatric robotic exoskeleton. The GUI was designed for trained users such as an engineer or clinician. A simplified mobile application is also provided to enable exoskeleton operation by an end-user or their caretaker. GUI function was validated during simulated walking with the exoskeleton using a motion capture system. Results Our results demonstrate the ability of the GUI to wirelessly operate and save data from exoskeleton sensors with high fidelity comparable to motion capture. Conclusion The GUI code, available in a public repository with a detailed description and step-by-step tutorial, is configurable to interact with any robotic device operated by a microcontroller and therefore represents a potentially powerful tool for deployment and evaluation of community based robotics.

A Pediatric Knee Exoskeleton With Real-Time Adaptive Control for Overground Walking in Ambulatory Individuals With Cerebral Palsy

“…The feedforward control enables the powered exoskeleton to reach the desired torque level faster than feedback control is computed as the difference between the measured and desired torque. A graphical user interface (GUI) was deployed to communicate/update the operational settings of the exoskeleton closed loop control system running on the embedded microcontroller and to receive data from the exoskeleton sensors and actuators during operation (Tucker et al, 2020).…”