Cross-industry standard test method developments: from manufacturing to wearable robots

Abstract

Manufacturing robotics is moving towards human-robot collaboration with light duty robots being used side by side with workers. Similarly, exoskeletons that are both passive (spring and counterbalance forces) and active (motor forces) are worn by humans and used to move body parts. Exoskeletons are also called ‘wearable robots’ when they are actively controlled using a computer and integrated sensing. Safety standards now allow, through risk assessment, both manufacturing and wearable robots to be used. However, performance standards for both systems are still lacking. Ongoing research to develop standard test methods to assess the performance of manufacturing robots and emergency response robots can inspire similar test methods for exoskeletons. This paper describes recent research on performance standards for manufacturing robots as well as search and rescue robots. It also discusses how the performance of wearable robots could benefit from using the same test methods.

Keywords

Wearable robot / Exoskeleton / Cross-industry / Artifact / Standards / Grasping

References

[1] Asín-Prieto , G., Shimoda , S., González , J., , 2015. Testing the generation of speed-dependent gait trajectories to control a 6DoF overground exoskeleton. LNCS, 9245: 495–501. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22876-1_42

[2] Bostelman , R.V., 2010. International standards efforts towards safe accessibility technology for persons with disabilities: cross-industry activities. Stand. Eng.

[3] Bostelman , R.V., Falco , J.A., 2012. Survey of industrial ma-nipulation technologies for autonomous assembly appli-cations. NISTIR 7844, Intelligent Systems Division, Na-tional Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, USA.

[4] Bostelman , R.V., Hong , T.H., Messina , E.R., 2015. Intelli-gence level performance standards research for autono-mous vehicles. Int. Robot Systems Workshop, p.48–54.

[5] Campbell , P., 2007. Revolutionizing Prosthetics 2009 Team Delivers First DARPA Limb Prototype. Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University. http://www.jhuapl.edu/newscenter/pressreleases/2007/070426.asp

[6] Dale , B., 2014. A New Industry Flexes its Servos.http:// fortune.com/2014/08/27/exoskeletons-wearable-robotics/

[7] Falco , J.A., van Wyk , K., Messina , E., 2013. Performance Metrics and Benchmarks to Advance the State of Robotic Grasping.http://www.nist.gov/el/isd/grasp.cfm

[8] Falco , J.A., Marvel , J.A., Messina , E.R., 2014. A Roadmap to Advance Measurement Science in Robot Dexterity and Manipulation. NISTIR 7993, Intelligent Systems Divi-sion, Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, USA. https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.7993

[9] Falco , J.A., van Wyk , K., Liu , S., , 2015. Grasping the performance: facilitating replicable performance measures via benchmarking and standardized methodol-ogies. IEEE Robot. Autom. Mag., 22(4):125–136. https://doi.org/10.1109/MRA.2015.2460891

[10] Favetto , A., Ambrosio , E.P., Appendino , S., , 2012. Embedding an exoskeleton hand in the astronaut’s EVA glove: feasibility and ideas. Int. J. Aerosp. Sci., 1(4): 68–76. https://doi.org/10.5923/j.aerospace.20120104.03

[11] Fryman , J., Matthias , B., 2012. Safety of industrial robots: from conventional to collaborative applications. Proc. 7th German Conf. on Robotics, p.1–5.

[12] Guo , Q., Zhang , X.G., Jiang , D., , 2012. Hydraulic pres-sure control system simulation and performance test of lower extremity exoskeleton. LNCS, 7621:612–620. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-34103-8_62

[13] Herr , H., 2009. Exoskeletons and orthoses: classification, design challenges and future directions. J. Neuroeng. Rehabil., 6:21. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-6-21

[14] Jacoff , A., 2013. Robotics Test Facility.http://www.nist. gov/el/isd/ms/roboticsbldg.cfm

[15] Jacoff , A.S., Messina , E.R., Evans , J., 2001. Experiences in deploying test arenas for mobile autonomous robots. Performance Measurement for Intelligent Measurement Systems Workshop, p.1–8.

[16] Leber , J., 2014. A Wearable Robot Suit That Will Add Power to Your Step.http://www.fastcoexist.com/3035535/a- wearable-robot-suit-that-will-add-power-to-your-step

[17] Liu , X.P., Low , K.H., Yu , H.Y., 2004. Development of a lower extremity exoskeleton for human performance enhance-ment. Proc. IEEE/RSJ Int. Conf. on Intelligent Robots and Systems, p.3889–3894. https://doi.org/10.1109/IROS.2004.1390021

[18] Maciejasz , P., Eschweiler , J., Gerlach-Hahn , K., , 2014. A survey on robotic devices for upper limb rehabilitation. J. Neuroeng. Rehabil., 11:3. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-11-3

[19] Marvel , J., Bostelman , R.V., Bagchi , S., , 2014. Perfor-mance of Collaborative Robot Systems Project.http://www.nist.gov/el/isd/ms/pcrs.cfm

[20] McDonald , G., 2014. ‘Aliens’-Style Exoskeleton Gives Shipbuilders a Boost.http://mashable.com/2014/08/05/ daewoo-exoskeleton

[21] Messina , E., Jacoff , A., Scholtz , J., , 2005. Statement of Requirements for Urban Search and Rescue Robot Per-formance Standards.http://www.nist.gov/el/isd/ms/ upload/Prelim_Requirements_Report.pdf

[22] Repperger , D.W., Remis , S.J., Merrill , G., 1990. Performance measures of teleoperation using an exoskeleton device. Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation. p.552–557. https://doi.org/10.1109/ROBOT.1990.126038

[23] Sarakoglou , I., Kousidou , S., Tsagarakis , N.G., , 2007. Exoskeleton-based exercisers for the disabilities of the upper arm and hand.In: Kommu, S.S. (Ed.), Rehabilita-tion Robotics. InTech, London, UK. https://doi.org/10.5772/5177

[24] Schabowsky , C.N., Godfrey , S.B., Holley , R.J., , 2010. Development and pilot testing of HEXORR: Hand EX-Oskeleton Rehabilitation Robot. J. Neuroeng. Rehabil., 7:36. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-7-36

[25] Stinson , L., 2014. Navy’s Exoskeleton Could Make Workers 20 Times More Productive.http://www.wired.com/2014/ 09/navys-exoskeleton-could-make-workers-20-times- more-productive/

[26] Szondy , D., 2015. Harmony Rehab Robot Guides Recovery.http://www.gizmag.com/harmony-rehab-robot/37293/

[27] Tucker , P., 2015. The Very Real Future of Iron Man Suits for the Navy. http://www.defenseone.com/technology/2015/ 01/very-real-future-iron-man-suits-navy/102630/

[28] Wolff , J., Parker , C., Borisoff , J., , 2014. A survey of stakeholder perspectives on exoskeleton technology. J. Neuroeng. Rehabil., 11:169. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-11-169

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2017 Zhejiang University and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany