About this Research Topic
In this regard, new technologies have emerged to improve the living conditions of people who have suffered from motor impairments or amputations. Assistive robotics, implemented either by means of hardware adaptations or high-level control approaches, has led to the appearance of several promising applications that promote independence in subjects limited by their impairment. In pursuit of effective functionality, these solutions require robust interfaces that allow natural and compliant control. Therefore, human-robot interfaces must rely on diverse modalities related to motion intention and generation of voluntary movement, so that their users may experience an influence at a mechanical or neural level. Within this scope, further research is needed to assess the effects of such assistive and rehabilitation devices in impaired subjects.
The main objective of this article collection consists in discussing the pertinence and feasibility of human-robot interfaces, aimed to enhance the interaction performance of assistive and rehabilitation devices. In this sense, this Research Topic seeks to engage professionals and researchers from a variety of backgrounds, such as: physiotherapists, physiatrists, occupational therapists, engineers, scientists, end-users, clinical researchers, industrial researchers and developers.
We welcome contributions that share experiences on the requirements and challenges implementing and deploying rehabilitation and assistive robotics in the context of developing and developed countries. The primary input of this Research Topic is based on the outputs of the 2nd version of the International Seminar on Rehabilitation and Assistive Robotics, to be held in Bogota (Colombia) at the Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito on October 4th, 2019, more information online . Additionally, external contributions of RAR2019 will be considered in this Research Topic.
This Research Topic aims to address the following primary topics of interest, which include but are not limited to:
● Prosthetics and Orthotics
● Wearable Robots: Exoskeletons and Exosuits
● Human-in-the-loop Control of Robotic Systems
● Human-Robot Interfaces
● Brain-machine Interfaces in Rehabilitation
● Novel Sensors and Actuators for Human-Robot Interaction
● Case Studies, Experiments, Ethics and Outreach
● Objective Measures: How to Quantify Efficacy, Safety, and Intuitiveness in Human-Robot Interaction?
This Research Topic is recommended by the COST Action CA16116 “Wearable Robots for Augmentation, Assistance or Substitution of Human Motor Functions”
http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/ca/CA16116 and by the Iberoamerican Network on Rehabilitation and Assistance of Patients with Neurologic Damage using Low-Cost Robotic Exoskeletons, REASISTE
http://reasiste.edu.umh.es , supported by CYTED (216RT0504).
Dr Jan Veneman is employed by Hocoma AG. All other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regards to the Research Topic subject. and
Keywords: Rehabilitation robotics, assistance robotics, human-in-the-loop control, human-robot interaction, brain-machine interfaces, orthotics, prosthetics
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.