We aim to develop the Hybrid Assistive Lims (HAL) in order to enhance and upgrade the human capabilities based on the frontier science Cybernics. Cybernics is a new domain of interdisciplinary research centered on cybernetics, mechatronics, and informatics, and integrates neuroscience, robotics, systems engineering, information technology, “kansei” engineering, ergonomics, physiology, social science, law, ethics, management, economics etc. Robot Suit HAL is a cyborg type robot that can expand, augment and support physical capability. The robot suit HAL has two types of control systems such as “Cybernic Voluntary Control System” and “Cybernic Autonomous Control System”. The application fields of HAL are medical welfare, heavy work support and entertainment etc. In this paper, the outline of HAL and some of the important algorithms and recent challenges are described.

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The test of wearable robots with users can be dangerous, especially initially, when the control algorithms and the controller are tested. The use of virtual prototypes, as opposed to creating real ones, whilst not eliminating the need to manufacture an ultimate prototype for the final tests, eliminates intermediate tests which could potentially be dangerous for a user. Multi-modal interaction and virtual prototyping are used to test and evaluate the controllers. The Ikerlan research centre has designed a 2 DoF arm orthosis to research the issue of the interaction of such devices with the environment. This orthosis was not physically constructed, but a virtual prototype was created for testing the performance of the different control algorithms implemented.. The multi-modal interfaces considered are composed of traditional devices, one haptic device (Phantom) and a video-based motion capture and mark recognition system. As a result, two test platforms have been developed, where the orthosis is tested in Real-Time simulation based on the real movements of the user. Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and videobased optical motion capture techniques are used in order to evaluate a prototype.

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This work introduces a new driven gait orthosis (DGO) based on the pneumatical exoskeleton leg for locomotor training. This device can drive the lower-limb of a patient in a physiological way on the moving treadmill following the given gait which fits to the individual needs. Therefore, it can help a patient who suffers lower-limbs paralysis to recover his walking ability. Mechanisms were designed based on the optimization from the view of human gait and the Ergonomics. Displacement sensors were mounted to allow a closedloop control consequently to make each limb’s motion as similar as possible to that of the human specimen. Each actuator is controlled by an algorithm, which consists of fuzzy and bang-bang. This solution allowed the existing strong nonlinearities to be easily managed with high response. The satisfying experiments results demonstrated the effect of the hybrid algorithm.

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Robotic-powered exoskeletons and body joint-adapted assistive units are currently under development for the enhancement of human locomotor performance in the military, in industries, and in patients and the elderly with mobility impairments [1]. They free people from much labor and the burdens of many kinds of manual work. For example, when it comes to automation in the industrial field, factory automation has made good progress. Operators (humans) can be included in a conventional manufacturing process with respect to a formal production line and uniform working conditions. Automation outside the production line, however, especially in common manufacturing stages, has several limitations and difficulties in adapting to actual conditions because the industrial field has but a small part in the process due to its operating characteristics. There have been many approaches to the reduction of labor that do not only fully assist but also partly aid workers, such as in the use of extremely heavy payload-oriented construction equipment, which are manipulated by humans. Manual or semi-automatic machine tools are mostly used in contemporary industries.

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The impact of disability on society is great not only on direct treat-ment costs. Invaluable loss of human creative activity and mental wellbeing as well as productivity losses reflect the indirect impact on the disabled individual as well as on society as a whole. Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the industrialised countries. Every year, over 130,000 people in the U.K. suffer strokes, with 13,000 under retirement age. Ischemia or haemorrhage in the brain may be the cause of cerebral vascular accidents which result in strokes (Parker et al., 1986). Fortunately over 65% of patients survive but the majority does have residual disabilities with up to 1/3 having severe disabilities particularly in the upper limb and hand. Hemiplegia, the most common impairment resulting from stroke, leaves the survivor with a stronger unimpaired arm and a weaker impaired one (hemiparesis). Traumatic injuries as well as conditions like muscular dystrophy, arthritis and regional pain syndromes, also add to the major causes of disability and functional dependence. Deficits in motor control and coordination synergy patterns, spasticity and pain are some of the most common symptoms of these condi-tions (Parker et al., 1986).

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