Investigators: H.F. Machiel Van der Loos, PhD and Charles G. Burgar, MD Project Staff: James J. Wagner, MS and and Inder Perkash, MD Project Category: Spinal Cord Injury - 2000 Introduction: This submitted projected is a continuation to the 1996-1999 Merit Review Project, in which we developed new worksite assistive robot system, called ProVAR, to be controlled by a person with high level tetraplegia. During the previous phase, we developed a novel user interface grounded in the theory of Social Response to Communication Technology, a powerful real-time operating system for full dynamic modeling and control of a 7-axis desktop robot manipulator plus gripper, and an advanced distributed proximity sensor implementation from a concept invented by NASA. Clinical assessment led to one significant round of redesign of the interface. These activities set the stage for the proposed continuation project, which will focus on full system evaluation in a vocational environment and technology transfer to a company to continue with the development and commercialization of ProVAR. In addition, several new areas have emerged as important R&D goals to enhance the robot's performance and usability. This proposal develops the areas we see as the most crucial to user acceptance and system viability as a better product in the high-end assistive technology arena. Objectives: The overall objective of this proposed phase is to develop the capabilities of the workstation so that the operator can control its features with the highest confidence and ease. ProVAR aims to deliver a single, integrated resource to support a person's communication and desktop manipulation needs. The two targets are 1) improved usability through interactive, multimedia tutorials and help modules that include the robot arm itself, through gestures, as a teaching aid; and 2) improved system control autonomy through programmable stiffness control and integrated use of the arm-mounted proximity sensors. A suite of new ProVAR tools will enhance safety and automate task parameterization that the operator currently has to handle explicitly. A final goal is the replacement of the current PUMA arm with a lower cost unit. Clinical Evaluation and Performance Analysis: :The previous project phase has focused on evaluations of the system capabilities in delivering a suite of network and communication functions to the operator, and in allowing an operator to define, simulate and execute trajectories for the arm. In the proposed project renewal, we will first perform extensive evaluations in the Vocational Training Lab of the VA's Vocational Rehabilitation Service with veterans who have tetraplegia from a high-level spinal cord injury; secondly, feed the insights into the proposed development efforts; and thirdly, critically evaluate the effects of the newly developed features. Prior Work:
Funding Source: VA RR&D Merit Review Funding Status: In Review |
