Design, Technology , and Engineering benefitting individuals
with disabilities and older adults in the local community |
February 25, 2020 |
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Perspectives is the newsletter of the
Stanford course, Perspectives in Assistive
Technology.
Designing Exoskeletons and
Prosthetic Limbs that Enhance Human Performance
This issue invites you to attend the next class
session.
Perspectives in Assistive
Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - entering its
fourteenth year - that explores the design, development, and use of
assistive technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults.
It consists of semi-weekly classroom discussions; lectures by
notable professionals, clinicians, and assistive technology users; tours
of local medical, clinical, and engineering facilities; student project
presentations and demonstrations; an Assistive Technology Faire; and a
film screening. |
Next class session - Thursday, February 27th at
4:30pm
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Designing Exoskeletons and
Prosthetic Limbs that Enhance Human Performance
Steven H. Collins, PhD
Stanford University - Mechanical Engineering
Department |
Abstract: "My central research goal is to develop
wearable robotic devices that improve mobility and quality of life, especially
for people with disabilities. My laboratory uses three complementary
approaches. First, we develop tools to speed and systematize the design of
prostheses and exoskeletons. Humans are complex, limiting the effectiveness of
typical robotics design methods, so we have developed a new approach that
utilizes versatile, laboratory-based emulator systems. Second, we leverage our
emulators in basic scientific experiments aimed at discovering and
characterizing new methods of assistance. Our versatile hardware allows rapid
implementation of new ideas, controlled characterization of human response to
device functionality, and new approaches to design and prescription involving
online adaptation and patient-specific device optimization. Finally, we
translate successful approaches into energy-efficient mobile devices. For
example, we recently demonstrated an ankle exoskeleton that uses no energy
itself yet reduces the metabolic energy cost of human walking. We are currently
developing actuators based on electrostatic adhesion that are both energy
efficient and controllable, which will enable new types of high-performance
wearable robots."
Biosketch: Steven
H. Collins received his BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2002 from Cornell
University, where he performed research on passive dynamic walking robots with
Andy Ruina. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 2008 from the
University of Michigan, where he performed research on the dynamics and control
of human walking with Art Kuo. He performed postdoctoral research on humanoid
robots with Martijn Wisse at TU Delft in the Netherlands. He was a professor of
Mechanical Engineering and Robotics at Carnegie Mellon University for seven
years. In 2017, he joined the faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford
University, where he teaches courses on design and robotics and directs the
Stanford Biomechatronics Lab. His primary focus is to speed and systematize the
design and prescription of prostheses and exoskeletons using versatile device
emulator hardware and human-in-the-loop optimization algorithms (Zhang et al.
2017, Science). Another focus is efficient autonomous devices, such as highly
energy-efficient walking robots (Collins et al. 2005, Science) and exoskeletons
that use no energy yet reduce the metabolic energy cost of human walking
(Collins et al. 2015, Nature). He is a member of the Scientific Board of
Dynamic Walking and of the Editorial Board of Science Robotics. He has received
the Young Scientist Award from the American Society of Biomechanics, the Best
Medical Devices Paper from the International Conference on Robotics and
Automation, and the student-voted Professor of the Year in his
department.
You are invited to attend this
and all other class sessions - Class sessions will be held on
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:50pm and are
open to the greater Stanford community. You need not be a Stanford student to
attend, no signup is required, and there is no charge. The full schedule can be
found here |
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Same classroom! -
The course will be held in classroom 282 in the
Lathrop
Library located at the corner of Lasuen Mall and Serra Mall, adjacent to
Memorial Auditorium and the Oval. It seats as many as 150 people in a flexible
and accessible space. Here is a webpage with maps, directions, and photos. |
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Remaining class sessions:
Upcoming local event:
Sunnyvale Aging 2.0 Chapter Kickoff
Event - Sunnyvale Aging 2.0 Chapter will be hosting it's 2020 Kickoff
Event. There will be two presentations and an Innovator Showcase.
When: |
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Saturday, February 29th from 1:30 to 5:00pm |
Where: |
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Sunnyvale Senior Center, 550 East
Remington Drive, Sunnyvale -
map |
Information: |
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This event is free and open to the public.
Please register in person at the Sunnyvale Senior Center or on
Eventbrite
by Friday, February 28th. |
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Research study:
Microsoft Research is running an
online survey to collect information from people with disabilities who
telework.
"Were seeking people with
disabilities who regularly telework to learn more about their experiences. The
goal of this study is to understand how teleworking helps people with
disabilities make their work accessible. We want to understand peoples
current work practices, what challenges they face, and what opportunities there
are for improvement. To be eligible to participate, you must fit the following
conditions:"
- Telework: Work from home or another remote
site as part of making your work more accessible for any disabilities that you
have.
- Use collaborative technologies such as
video calling, chat, the phone, shared file directories, collaborative editing
tools, screen sharing, etc. to collaborate with remote colleagues.
- Telework at least once per week
- Are an adult over 18 years of
age
"You will be asked to complete an online
survey to describe your experiences. The survey is expected to take about 30
minutes to complete. You will receive a gratuity of a $25 electronic voucher at
Amazon."
"If you qualify, please fill out the
online
survey."
"Feel free to forward this message to
others who might be interested. If you have any questions, please contact
John Tang." |
Other
Support the
course - Funding in any amount for the course and student projects
is always welcomed. Monetary gifts support approved project expenses,
administrative costs, honoraria for guest lecturers, and the end-of-term
celebration. Refer to the Course and Project Support
webpage for more information.
Email
questions, comments, or suggestions - Please
email me if you have general
questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the course. Thank you again for
your interest.
Dave
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please email
Dave. |
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