CPS: Synergy: Multi-Robot Cyber-Physical System for Assisting Young Developmentally-Delayed Children in Learning to Walk

A challenge for assisting young developmentally-delayed children in learning to walk is to (1) stabilize medio-lateral body sway while promoting opportunities for exploratory behavior, and (2) develop gait that exploits exchange of potential and kinetic energy. To meet the challenge, we have built a modular multi-robot CPS: a scaffold that applies forces at the pelvis via cables to modulate and stabilize center of mass behavior, and a wearable robot that applies assistive torques at the hip. We demonstrate the interoperability of the two modules through treadmill studies with an instrumented articulated mannequin. We further validate the device design with an adult version of the wearable robot, and with perturbation experiments with standing children.