End User Needs Elicitation for a Full-body Exoskeleton to Assist the Elderly

Leonard O'Sullivan, Valerie Power, Gurvinder Virk, Nauman Masud, Usman Haider, Simon Christensen, Shaoping Bai, Ludo Cuypers, Michel D'Havé, Kristl Vonck

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

For ageing individuals, declining physical functional capacity can lead to loss of independence, decreased engagement in the community and reductions in quality of life. As such, solutions that can effectively and affordably supplement older adults’ diminishing functional capacity, and thus facilitate maintained independence and social participation over time are urgently required. The AXO-SUIT project – funded by the European Commission under the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme - is developing assistive exoskeleton devices for older adults with impaired mobility and/or difficulties in performing activities of daily living. This paper will report on-going research which aims to identify end user needs, and thus provide inputs to specify the design requirements of the AXO-SUIT exoskeletons. The objectives of this initial questionnaire study are to identify the functional assistance requirements of potential end users of the AXO-SUIT in terms of mobility, reaching and handling, and full-body support for performing activities of daily living at home and in the wider community. The end user requirements identified will be used to formulate functional specifications for the AXO-SUIT lower-body and upper-body sub-systems, which will ensure that the AXO-SUIT prototypes will provide for the specific mobility, reaching and handling needs of end users, and also to provide useful insights into the perspectives and needs of end users in relation to assistive exoskeletons in general.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1403-1409
Number of pages7
JournalProcedia Manufacturing
Volume3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Keywords

  • Assitive exoskeleton
  • Elderly
  • End user needs

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