An exoskeleton is a distinctive kind of robot to be worn as an overall, effectively supporting or, in some cases substituting for, the user’s own movements. The development of exoskeletons can lead to important changes in the rehabilitation of disabled people by introducing an alternative to wheelchairs. Exoskeletons can be an efficient tool in gait re-education and in the restoration of upper limb functions, and they can support therapists and caregivers in tasks that require major physical effort. The functionality of exoskeleton can easily be extended by a “disabled person integrated IT environment”, described by authors. Exoskeletons can also be easily adapted to the needs of severely ill or aged people.

(далее…)

Категория: Научные статьи | Нет комментариев »

The convergence of haptic technology with the understanding of human perception is opening new possibilities for immersive virtual experiences. This work addresses the role of haptics in the design of systems for supporting embodiment in virtual and real environments. The paper presents haptic interfaces for embodiment by analyzing them in terms of the three main feedback types: proprioceptive, kinesthetic and tactile. Each category is discussed by first analyzing embodiment requirements and then the available haptic technology. This review is closed by some considerations in the domain of capturing and encoding for covering the whole embodiment pipeline.

(далее…)

Категория: Научные статьи | Нет комментариев »