Research

Investigations of bipedal locomotion with gait perturbations, such as slips and trips

This research project focuses on modeling and control of human bipedal locomotion with foot slip.
We use theoretical and experimental approaches to investigate the balance recovery strategies of bipedal walkers.
We have developed robotic bipedal dynamics models and control schemes to investigate gait and balance recovery during slip.

Robotic bipedal model to analyze walking and slip balance recovery gaits. (Photo: Mitja Trkov)

Foot slip detection using inertial measurements units (IMUs). (Photo: Mitja Trkov)

Modeling of a human subject during unsuccessful slip recovery. (For details see our paper: Mihalec et al., JBME, 2022)

Mihalec, M., Trkov, M. and Yi, J., “Balance recoverability and control of bipedal walkers with foot slip,” ASME J. Biomech. Eng., 144(5): 051012, Paper No: BIO-21-1265, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4053098.
M. Trkov^*, K. Chen^*, and J. Yi, “Bipedal model and hybrid zero dynamics of human walking with foot slip,” ASME J. Comput. Nonlinear Dynam., 14(10): 101002, Paper No: CND-18-1356, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4043360.
M. Trkov, K. Chen, J. Yi, and T. Liu, “Inertial sensor-based slip detection in human walking,” IEEE Trans. Autom. Sci. Eng., 16(3), pp. 1399 - 1411, 2019.

Exoskeletons to prevent slip-induced falls

Slips, trips, and falls a major cause of injury in at-risk groups. In our research group, we are developing robotic assistive technologies to prevent human falls during gait perturbations, such as slips and trips. We use theoretical and experimental approaches to investigate the balance recovery strategies of bipedal walkers. Our previous work includes the development of:
rapid slip detection system
robotic knee assistive devices for slip-and-fall prevention
robotic bipedal models
balance recoverability controllers.

Robotic Knee Assistive Device (ROKAD) for slip-and-fall prevention. (Photo: Mitja Trkov)

Gas powered knee assistive device for slip-and-fall prevention. (Photo: Mitja Trkov)

M. Mioskowska^†, D. Stevenson^‡, M. Onu^‡, and M. Trkov, “Compressed gas actuated knee assistive exoskeleton for slip-induced fall prevention during human walking,” in Proc. IEEE/ASME Int. Conf. Adv. Int. Mech. (AIM), (virtual) Boston, MA, 2020.
M. Mioskowska^†, and M. Trkov, “Active knee assistance for prevention of slip-induced falls during human walking,” in Dynamic Walking conference, Hawley, PA, USA, 2020.
M. Trkov, S. Wu, K. Chen, J. Yi, T. Liu, and Q. Zhao, “Design and characterization of a robotic knee assistive device (ROKAD) for slip-induced fall prevention during walking,” in Proc. 20^th World Congress of the Int. Fed. Autom. Control (IFAC), Toulouse, France, 2017.

Exoskeletons for construction workers

Slips, trips, and falls a major cause of injury in at-risk groups. In our research group, we are developing robotic assistive technologies to prevent human falls during gait perturbations, such as slips and trips. We use theoretical and experimental approaches to investigate the balance recovery strategies of bipedal walkers. Our previous work includes the development of:
rapid slip detection system
robotic knee assistive devices for slip-and-fall prevention
robotic bipedal models
balance recoverability controllers.

Construction workers during double-leg and single-leg kneeling tasks (i.e., tile installer and roofer on sloped surface). (For details see our paper: Chen et al., TMech, 2021).

Construction worker wearing the exoskeleton during single-leg kneeling on a sloped surface and accompanying schematics of the seven-link human kneeling model.

Chen, S., Stevenson, D. T.^‡, Yu, S., Mioskowska, M.^†, Yi, J., Su, H., and Trkov, M., "Wearable Knee Assistive Devices for Kneeling Tasks in Construction," IEEE/ASME Trans. on Mechatronics, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 1989-1996, Aug. 2021, https://doi.org/10.1109/TMECH.2021.3081367.
S. Chen, Y. Yu, C. Di, D. T. Stevenson^‡, M. Trkov, J. Gong, and J. Yi, "Postural balance of kneeling gaits on inclined and elevated surface for construction workers", in Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Autom. Sci. Eng. (CASE), Lyon, France, Aug. 23-27, 2021.

Soft robotics

We investigate the use of wearable sensors for biomechanical and ergonomic exposure measurements of workers performing manual material handling tasks.
We apply modeling and experimental approaches to analyze soft-solid contacts.
This research advances knowledge of haptics, general soft-solid contact applications, robotic grasping and biomedical applications.

Design with the internal structure and modeling schematics of the soft robotic actuator that can achieve horizontal and vertical displacements.

Comparison of the FE simulation and experimental results of horizontal (x) and vertical (y) motion for the empirically designed dome (A,E,I,M,Q), FA optimized design (B,F,J,N,R), DDPG optimized design (C,G,K,O,S) and 8-DoF DDPG optimized design (D,H,L,P,T).

Raeisinezhad, M.^†, Pagliocca, N. G.^†, Koohbor, B., and Trkov, M., “Design Optimization of a Pneumatic Soft Robotic Actuator Using Model-Based Optimization and Deep Reinforcement Learning,” Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 8, 107, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2021.639102.
M. Raeisinezhad^†, N. G. Pagliocca^‡, B. Koohbor, and M. Trkov, “IntelliPad: Intelligent Soft Robotic Pad for Pressure Injury Prevention,” in Proc. IEEE/ASME Int. Conf. Adv. Int. Mech., Boston, MA, 2020.

Soft-solid contacts for robotic and biomedical applications

We investigate the use of wearable sensors for biomechanical and ergonomic exposure measurements of workers performing manual material handling tasks.
We apply modeling and experimental approaches to analyze soft-solid contacts.
This research advances knowledge of haptics, general soft-solid contact applications, robotic grasping and biomedical applications.

Experimental setups to study soft-solid contact interactions. (Photo: Mitja Trkov)

Deformations and contact contour evolution of a soft-solid (shoe-floor) contact during beinning, mid-stance and end of walking stance. (Photo: Mitja Trkov)

Beam-spring network and LuGre model. (Photo: Mitja Trkov)

H. Xiang^*, M. Trkov^*, K. Yu and J. Yi, “A stick-slip interactions model of soft-solid frictional contacts,” ASME J. Dyn. Sys. Meas. Control, 141(4), pp. 041015, Paper No: DS-17-1556, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4042247
M. Trkov, J. Yi, T. Liu, and K. Li, “Shoe-floor Interactions in human walking with slips: modeling and experiments,” ASME J. Biomech. Eng., vol. 140, no. 3, pp. 031005-1–031005-11, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4038251.

Ergonomic injury risk assessment using wearable sensors

We investigate the use of wearable sensors for biomechanical and ergonomic exposure measurements of workers performing manual material handling tasks.
We apply signal processing tecniques to extract relevant ergonomic exposure parameters that correlate to occupational low-back pain.

Classifying hazardous movements and loads during manual materials handling (Photo: Mitja Trkov)

Ergonomic exposure assessment while performing lifting and carrying load. (Photo: Mitja Trkov)

Trkov, M, Stevenson, D. T.^‡, and Merryweather, A. S., “Classifying hazardous movements and loads during manual materials handling using accelerometers and instrumented insoles,” App. Erg., 101: 103693, May 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103693.

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