The ReHyb project will develop a hybrid upper-limb exoskeleton that uses its own sensing and novel actuation capabilities for generating the digital twin of the user.
Launched in the start of 2020, the Rehyb Project aims to help rehabilitation of stroke patients through a hybrid upper-limb exoskeleton.
Objective
"Bringing together all disciplines related to hybrid neuroprostheses for rehabilitation. Our mission is to develop an upper-limb exoskeleton to allow elderly to maintain a healthy and active living environment."
It is expected that by 2050 over 20 % of the European population will be above 80 years old and there is a pressing need to allow elderly to maintain a healthy and active living environment. The share of service robots is predicted to increase to at least 20% by 2020 and personal-robots to 9 % by 2025 [1].
The Technology
The project will develop a hybrid upper-limb exoskeleton that uses its own sensing and novel actuation capabilities for generating the digital twin of the user. The advanced cognitive system will interface the digital twin to plan and control the hybrid exoskeleton so that the control system sympathetically respects user’s neuromechanical and psychological status, and intelligently assists the user’s motion. The cognitive capability accomplishes the robotic system to predict user behaviour and derive personalised interaction strategies by accessing to the digitised knowledge about the user. The hybrid of powered exoskeleton and FES on the user’s arm and hand allow the assistive interaction at the behavioural and muscle levels, which increases the interaction efficacy by improving the user model and wearability of the system, while an advanced control algorithm ensures all interaction strategies are executed safely and robustly [2].
Project Consortium
The project brings together 11 partners from 6 countries with proven research competence and cutting edge technological products in robotics and related technologies (human activity modelling, human-robot communication and interaction, platform integration, gaming and clinical testing and patient interaction), in order to ensure the multifarious cooperation needed to accomplish the goals set by the project. The ReHyb Project is funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of The European Union and is scheduled to run from 2020 to the end of 2023 [3].
[1] https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Archive:People_in_the_EU_-_population_projections
[2] https://rehyb.eu
[3] https://rehyb.eu/consortium/