At Arm's Length

Abstract

Wearable robots have become feasible with recent advances in actuators, electronics, and rapid prototyping. We report on the development of a supernumerary wearable robotic forearm for close-range collaborative activities. In order for this device to be effective in its role, both usability and technical challenges must be addressed. We report on studies identifying desirable usage contexts for such a device, followed by an analysis of the advantage it provides and the loads it exerts on the user. Finally, we discuss ongoing work on adapting path-planning, perception, and behavior models to suit this device»s novel interaction scheme.