Orthoses, or exoskeletons as they’re more commonly known, are a method to either assist those with reduced mobility in certain parts of their body, or to completely reintroduce function where it has been lost. Current research questions in orthotics relate to the wearability and comfort of devices. Human joints, such as wrists, knees and ankles, are complex mechanisms that do not function with just simple backwards and forwards motions, moreover, any movement may be initiated through more than one part of the joint or in a number of locations.
What NCCR Robotics is trying to create, using orthotics, are a generation of devices that work with a user, not pulling joints out of place and training muscles to develop where possible.
NCCR Robotics Exoskeletons
People
Prof. Dario Floreano NCCR Director & Professor Laboratory of Intelligent Systems (LIS) and Management Team, EPFL dario.floreano@epfl.ch +41 21 693 52 30
Prof. Roger Gassert Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Engineering Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory (RELab), ETH Zurich roger.gassert@hest.ethz.ch +41 44 632 32 66
Prof. Robert Riener NCCR Co-Director & Professor Management Team and Sensory-Motor Systems Lab (SMS), ETH Zurich riener@hest.ethz.ch +41 44 632 66 79