HEAT: The Harmony Exoskeleton Self - Assessment Test

Abstract

Exoskeletons have tremendous potential to assist and enhance human abilities and movement, and they are projected for use in rehabilitation of patients with neurological, or muscular mobility disorders. Despite the commercial availability of exoskeletons and ongoing research, there are no clear guidelines for evaluating human factors and movement for human-exoskeleton interaction (HEI). We present a novel self-assessment tool for evaluating HEI building on methods from the performing arts, art-based rehabilitation therapy, social robotics and sports science. The Harmony Exoskeleton Self-Assessment Test (HEAT) is a subjective measurement tool that attempts to assess how a person feels when using an exoskeleton suit with an estimation based on a numerical score. The reliability of HEAT was tested in an artistic context, but is adaptable for a range of exoskeletons, clinical trials and experimental setups. Active upper-body exoskeletons were worn by forty-six healthy adult participants in a live performance and danced for nearly one hour. Factor analysis, and composite reliability tested the validity and reliability of this “first-time” exploratory assessment study, and results suggest that the HEAT is a potentially valuable tool for research.