Teams

Here at M-STARX, we are one big exoskeleton family and we all have a role in bringing our designs to life. We participate in two competitions, one being the Applied Collegiate Exoskeleton Competition (ACE) and ASTM International Exo Games, therefore we have two different teams to cater to each exoskeleton. Even though we are split into two competition teams, there is extensive overlap in collaboration. From sketching to design reviews to manufacturing, we support each other through it all no matter what subteam we are a part of. 

EVE I&O + RALPH Hotfixes

This team is responsible for the mechanical and electrical realization of EVE while providing continued maintenance and hotfix support for RALPH. During the first semester, mechanical members will focus on completing EVE’s remaining fabrication and assembly, while electrical members begin system ideation, CAD, and wiring in parallel. Once mechanical assembly is complete or nearing completion, the electrical team will transition into full integration and testing. Because EVE and RALPH share similar architectures, this team will serve as the primary resource for RALPH repairs and maintenance throughout the year. Programming development will continue in parallel on RALPH, with EVE’s more developed architecture allowing components and lessons learned to transfer between systems. The Electrical and Programming teams should also establish a clear process for motor testing and debugging to ensure a smooth transition to the Algorithms team once control development is handed off.

Motors and Algorithms (Electrical/Programming) 

This team will focus on algorithm development and motor interfacing for both EVE and RALPH, with the overlap between these responsibilities allowing them to remain under one team. During the first semester, Electrical and Programming members will begin algorithm development for EVE alongside their work on RALPH, with a planned handoff to the Algorithms team later in the year. The team will also be responsible for motor interfacing and control across both platforms, particularly for EVE’s new motor system. Motor research for the Ankle Project will remain within that project to minimize early-semester task switching, with cross-team design reviews used to compare findings and inform motor selection.

Ankle Exoskeleton Project (Research/Mechanical/Electrical)

This research-focused project will explore the design and development of a powered ankle exoskeleton, expanding M-STARX’s work into ankle actuation, particularly for demanding gait and stair-based tasks. Mechanical and electrical members will work closely to develop a compact, integrated system, with mechanical members focusing on actuation and mass distribution while electrical members develop the power and sensing architecture. A dedicated sensor subgroup will investigate technologies such as IMUs, EMGs, encoders, and contact switches, while exploring the control strategies needed to effectively utilize these sensors. This project will establish a foundation for future ankle actuation and potential integration into larger exoskeleton systems.

Exoskeleton Gantry System (Mechanical)

M-STARX’s P&E teams currently struggle with transitioning from motor testbenching to exoskeleton integration due to limited workspace, an uncomfortable testing cage, and the lack of a dedicated transportation system. This team will design and fabricate an exoskeleton-agnostic gantry to provide a stable, ergonomic platform for electrical and programming development, facilitate pilot testing, and enable safe short-distance transportation throughout the FRB. Members will also consider wire routing, electrical safety, and compatibility with future exoskeleton designs.

Biomechanical Optimization (Research)

The Biomechanical Optimization team is responsible for developing an in-house dataset of human movement to optimize the control algorithms for different motions of the exosuit. Building our own dataset will allow us to collect biomechanical data for movements that may not be well documented in existing literature or datasets, ultimately enabling our current and future exosuits to be better optimized for a wider range of users and motions. This year, the team will continue investigating EMG and IMU technologies suitable for integration with the exosuit. In particular, the team will evaluate the viability of Myoware EMG sensors and investigate the feasibility of designing and manufacturing our own EMG sensors and associated circuitry using custom PCBs. Data collected from these systems should be compared against data from established industrial-grade sensors to validate the accuracy and reliability of our in-house data collection methods. Additionally, the team should continue developing the biomechanical data collection rig initially developed by the Testing team last year. The rig should be capable of accommodating a variety of IMU sensors while allowing for pilots of different sizes and anthropometries. Ultimately, this system will provide a standardized platform for collecting biomechanical data across a wide range of pilots and motions. The ultimate goal is to establish a repeatable, validated, and adaptable biomechanical data collection system that can generate high-quality datasets for algorithm development and serve as a foundation for optimizing future generations of the M-STARX exosuit.

Exo Mech (Mechanical)

This group is intended to make any necessary changes or revisions needed to last year's exo game suit. These changes include creating a more rigid back, revising the hip joint to remove backlash, and revising the upper body to continue assisting passively. Furthermore, they must optimize the suit in order to guarantee and validate a 3X safety factor and must reduce mass used on the suit. By learning these tools, we set ourselves up to add more systems onto the suit in the future and can design an exosuit to achieve more tasks.

Electrical and Programming (Electrical/Programming)

The Electrical and Programming team is responsible for integrating the electrical and software systems required to power and control the motors on the Exo Games suit. This includes designing and documenting the necessary circuits and wiring to ensure safe and reliable operation. This year, the team should revise the existing battery system to support a commercially available tool battery while ensuring compatibility with the selected motors, microcontrollers, and motor drivers. The team should also continue researching motor selection and communication protocols to improve system performance and reliability. On the programming side, the team will integrate the movement-control algorithms developed by the Biomechanical Optimization team, translating algorithm outputs into motor commands for walking and other desired movements. Ultimately, the goal is to develop a safe, reliable, and fully integrated electrical and control system for the Exo Games suit.

Arm Monitor Roundoff (Mechanical/Electrical)

The Arm Monitor is largely complete, with functional communication between the Arm Monitor and RALPH’s main driver program and support for selecting Crouch/Squat, Stair Climb, Walking, or No Algorithm, as well as setting pilot height. This year, the team should focus on an ergonomic and aesthetic redesign of the chassis, including more accessible physical buttons and corresponding updates to the wiring and software. Additional improvements should include the ability to adjust pilot height and weight through the UI and, if supported by the new tool batteries, displaying battery charge and temperature diagnostics on the Arm Monitor.