Bioinspired Human-Exoskeleton Interface

Exoskeletons promise to improve the lethality, mobility, and survivability of modern dismounted warfighters by augmenting strength, increasing endurance, and providing protection. However, this promise and potential has yet to be fully realized. One of the major challenges with exoskeletons is the interface between the exoskeleton and the human user – how can the (often rigid) exoskeleton be effectively and efficiently coupled to the (fleshy) human? Nature has effectively solved the flesh-to-exoskeleton problem in mollusks, turtles, armadillos, and insects (among others). Nature’s solutions have the potential to improve the coupling of exoskeletons to the warfighter. Creare proposes to develop a Bioinspired Exoskeleton Interface (BEI). The BEI adopts exoskeleton solutions found in nature, to improve the coupling between human and machine. These solutions offer improvements in load transfer, energy efficiency, and comfort while maintaining the wearer’s mobility. Improving the human-exoskeleton interface with bioinspired solutions will help realize the promise of exoskeletons. In Phase I, we will study exoskeletons in nature, develop a set of bioinspired exoskeleton interface design guidelines, and design a series of interface concepts for evaluation in Phase II. In Phase II, we will prototype and test the most promising interface designs.