The Indego Exoskeleton for Restoration and Enhancement of Personal Mobility

Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/14/2019
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Location
Metropolitan Plaza

Categories

• Cleveland Section
• Control Systems

Abstract: In recent years, wearable robotic systems for mobility restoration and augmentation have seen prolific growth. Several of these systems, commonly referred to as “exoskeletons,” have progressed to commercial reality. The development of one of these exoskeleton platforms, the Indego by Parker Hannifin Corporation, will be presented as a case study. The design of the hardware and control will be discussed, and validation of the design hypotheses will be presented as clinical outcomes. System variants will be described that support multiple indications and use cases, including: (1) gait assistance post spinal cord injury (SCI); (2) gait rehabilitation post stroke; (3) functional electrical stimulation of lower extremity muscle groups; (4) stair ascent and descent; and (5) enhanced gait biomechanics for advanced SCI users.

Dr. Ryan Farris of Parker Hannifin Corporation, Cleveland

Bio: Ryan J. Farris received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Western Kentucky University in 2007, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University in 2009 and 2012, respectively. He is a licensed professional engineer in the states of Tennessee and Ohio. As the Engineering Manager for Parker Hannifin Corporation’s Human Motion and Control division, he leads an interdisciplinary team of engineers with expertise in mechanical systems, controls, embedded electronics, software, and biomechanics. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Cleveland State University. His research interests include the design and control of electromechanical devices for medical applications and, in particular, human assistive technologies.

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