The "Bridging Human Locomotion Neuromechanics and Assistive Robotics" workshop aims to connect neuroscience, biomechanics, and robotics, focusing on the neural control and biomechanics of gait. This interdisciplinary event will explore how human movement insights, including motor control and optimal control theories, can improve assistive robotic systems such as exoskeletons. Topics will cover neural mechanisms of gait initiation, adaptation, and stability, as well as biomechanical principles for efficient movement. The workshop will highlight advances in pathologic gait modeling, predictive musculoskeletal simulations, and data-driven approaches, including deep learning. State-of-the-art wearable robotic systems and their advanced control strategies for enhancing human locomotion, especially in rehabilitation, will also be discussed. This workshop is an invaluable opportunity for anyone interested in the convergence of neuroscience, biomechanics, and robotics to enhance human mobility and autonomy. Participants will benefit from expert presentations, interactive discussions, and hands-on demonstrations, fostering collaborations to drive future innovations in human gait rehabilitation and human-robot locomotion systems.
Workshop Extended Abstract Submission
We are pleased to invite the submission of 2-page extended abstracts (in IEEE format) for 6-minute spotlight talks, accompanying by posters to be highlighted during our workshop. Two awards will be presented for the best spotlight talk and poster presentation.
Abstract topics of interest include all aspects related to the neuromechanics of human locomotion and human-robot interaction in robot-assisted scenarios. The topics include (but not limited to): gait modeling, musculoskeletal modeling and simulation, human-robot physical interaction and co-adaptation, wearable robotics and prosthetics for human balance and gait.
08:30 - 08:40 Brief Introduction to the workshop by co-organizers
Session I - Neuromechanics of Human Locomotion
08:40 - 09:00 Invited Talk - 1 Seungbum Koo (Modelling compensatory strategies of constrained gait)
09:00 - 09:20 Invited Talk - 2 Greg Sawicki (In silico and in vitro approaches to explore how exoskeletons impact sensorimotor control)
09:20 - 09:40 Invited Talk - 3 Patrick Slade (Understanding movement goals and personalizing robotic assistance beyond the laboratory)
09:40 - 10:00 Invited Talk - 4 Kimitaka Nakazawa (Corticospinal contributions in motor control of prosthetic lower limbs and Neuromechanics of human walking)
10:00 - 10:45 Panel Discussion 1: Where are greatest opportunities and challenges in translating human neuromechanics to assistive robotics?
Seungbum Koo, Greg Sawicki, Patrick Slade, Kimitaka Nakazawa and organizers as moderators
10:45 - 11:15 Coffee Break + Posters
11:15 - 12:30 Spotlight Talks (10 talks from poster submissions, ~6 minutes each)
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
Session II - Wearable Lower-Limb Assistive Robotics
13:30 - 13:50 Invited Talk - 5 Katja Mombaur (Modeling human-exoskeleton interaction and motion adaptation)
13:50 - 14:10 Invited Talk - 6 Massimo Sartori (Modelling movement neuromechanics for generalizable human-robot interfaces)
14:10 - 14:30 Invited Talk - 7 Katherine Poggensee (Integrating the human into the humanexoskeleton system)
14:30 - 14:50 Invited Talk - 8 Enrica Tricomi (Soft wearable robotic suits to augment human locomotion for wellness and rehabilitation)
14:50 - 15:10 Invited Talk - 9 Maegan Tucker ( Improving user engagement during exoskeleton locomotion)
15:10 - 15:50 Coffee Break + Posters
16:00 - 17:00 Panel Discussion II: What are the current challenges facing assistive robotics?
E. Toricomi, K. Poggensee, K. Mombaur, M. Sartori, organizers as moderators
17:00 - 17:20 Best poster awards and closing remarks by co-orgonizers
17:20 Workshop ends
Associate Professor, KAIST
Talk Title: Modelling compensatory strategies of constrained gait
Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology
Talk Title: In silico and in vitro approaches to explore how exoskeletons impact sensorimotor control
Professor, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Talk Title: Modeling human-exoskeleton interaction and motion adaptation
Professor, University of Twente
Talk Title: Neuromuscular modelling for generalizable human-machine interfacing in wearable robotics
Assistant Professor, University of Delaware
Talk Title: Integrating the human into the human-exoskeleton system
Postdoctoral Fellow, Technische Universität München
Talk Title: Soft wearable robotic suits to augment human locomotion for wellness and rehabilitation
Assistant Professor, Harvard University
Talk Title: Understanding movement goals and personalizing robotic assistance beyond the laboratory
Assistant Professor, Georgia Tech
Talk Title: Understanding preference during robotic-assisted locomotion
Professor, University of Tokyo
Talk Title: Corticospinal contributions in motor control of prosthetic lower limbs and Neuromechanics of human walking
Associate Professor,
University of Waterloo
aarami@uwaterloo.ca
Professor,
EPFL
auke.ijspeert@epfl.ch
Assistant Professor,
Georgia Institute of Technology
mtucker@gatech.edu