Hybrid brain/neural interface and autonomous vision-guided whole-arm exoskeleton control to perform activities of daily living (ADLs).
José M Catalán, Emilio Trigili, Marius Nann and 11 others
PMID 37149621WHAT IT FOUND
Ten people with severe motor impairments controlled two assistive robots using brain and eye signals.
The wearable arm exoskeleton allowed faster, more reliable task completion than the table-mounted robot arm, but users found the exoskeleton physically demanding and less comfortable.
Key findings
01The whole-arm exoskeleton demonstrated better control reliability than the external manipulator, with 75% of reaction times under 3 seconds compared to under 5 seconds for the manipulator.
02Users reported higher physical demand and frustration when using the exoskeleton compared to the external robotic manipulator.
03While about 75% of users found the exoskeleton comfortable and safe, only 55% perceived its control as sufficiently reliable and practical.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study included only ten participants with highly diverse diagnoses, so results may not generalize to specific patient groups. One participant dropped out due to fatigue, and one session was lost to technical errors, reducing the dataset. The exoskeleton was heavy (over 10 kg), which likely influenced user comfort ratings and physical demand scores. This was a feasibility study, not an efficacy trial, so it cannot prove that the exoskeleton leads to better rehabilitation outcomes.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The authors declared no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the faster reaction times with the exoskeleton as proof that it is the superior device for all patients. The study was small and heterogeneous, and users actually preferred the external manipulator because it was less physically demanding and easier to use.