<div align="justify">Scientists have developed a novel design approach for exoskeletons and prosthetic limbs that incorporates direct feedback from the human body.<br /><br />The approach will dramatically improve energy economy, speed and balance for millions of people, especially those with disabilities, researchers said.<br /><br />The technique, called human-in-the-loop optimisation, customises walking assistance for individuals and significantly improves energy economy during walking.<br /><br />The algorithm that enables this optimisation represents a landmark achievement in the field of biomechatronics - study of biology, mechanics, electronics and control.<br /><br />"Existing exoskeleton devices, despite their potential, have not improved walking performance as much as we think they should," said Steven Collins, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in the US.<br /><br />"We have seen improvements related to computing, hardware, and sensors, but the biggest challenge has remained the human element - we just have not been able to guess how they will respond to new devices," said Collins.<br /><br />The software algorithm is combined with versatile emulator hardware that automatically identifies optimal assistance strategies for individuals. During experiments, each user received a unique pattern of assistance from an exoskeleton worn on one ankle.<br /><br />The algorithm tested their responses to 32 different patterns over the course of an hour, making adjustments based on measurements of their energy use with each pattern.<br /><br />The optimised assistance pattern produced larger benefits than any exoskeleton to date, including devices acting at all joints on both legs.<br /><br />"When we walk, we naturally optimise coordination patterns for energy efficiency. Human-in-the-loop optimisation acts in a similar way to optimise the assistance provided by wearable devices," said Collins.<br /><br />"We are really excited about this approach because we think it will dramatically improve energy economy, speed, and balance for millions of people, especially those with disabilities," he said.<br />The findings were published this week in Science.</div>
<div align="justify">Scientists have developed a novel design approach for exoskeletons and prosthetic limbs that incorporates direct feedback from the human body.<br /><br />The approach will dramatically improve energy economy, speed and balance for millions of people, especially those with disabilities, researchers said.<br /><br />The technique, called human-in-the-loop optimisation, customises walking assistance for individuals and significantly improves energy economy during walking.<br /><br />The algorithm that enables this optimisation represents a landmark achievement in the field of biomechatronics - study of biology, mechanics, electronics and control.<br /><br />"Existing exoskeleton devices, despite their potential, have not improved walking performance as much as we think they should," said Steven Collins, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in the US.<br /><br />"We have seen improvements related to computing, hardware, and sensors, but the biggest challenge has remained the human element - we just have not been able to guess how they will respond to new devices," said Collins.<br /><br />The software algorithm is combined with versatile emulator hardware that automatically identifies optimal assistance strategies for individuals. During experiments, each user received a unique pattern of assistance from an exoskeleton worn on one ankle.<br /><br />The algorithm tested their responses to 32 different patterns over the course of an hour, making adjustments based on measurements of their energy use with each pattern.<br /><br />The optimised assistance pattern produced larger benefits than any exoskeleton to date, including devices acting at all joints on both legs.<br /><br />"When we walk, we naturally optimise coordination patterns for energy efficiency. Human-in-the-loop optimisation acts in a similar way to optimise the assistance provided by wearable devices," said Collins.<br /><br />"We are really excited about this approach because we think it will dramatically improve energy economy, speed, and balance for millions of people, especially those with disabilities," he said.<br />The findings were published this week in Science.</div>