Virtually turning robotic manipulators into worn devices: opening new horizons for wearable assistive robotics

Abstract

Robotic sensorimotor extensions (supernumerary limbs, prosthesis, handheld tools) are worn devices used to interact with the nearby environment, whether to assist the capabilities of impaired users or to enhance the dexterity of industrial operators. Despite numerous mechanical achievements, embedding these robotics devices remains critical due to their weight and discomfort. To emancipate from these mechanical constraints, we propose a new hybrid system using a virtually worn robotic arm in augmented-reality, and a real robotic manipulator servoed on such virtual representation. We aim at bringing an illusion of wearing a robotic system while its weight is fully deported, thinking that this approach could open new horizons for the study of wearable robotics without any intrinsic impairment of the human movement abilities.A video showing the set-ups and some of their applications can be found on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/EgwzT784Fws, and we will be referring to it throughout the paper.