Third Arm

The goal of this project, launched at the end of 2018, is to allow subjects to control an additional robotic limb in combination with the natural arms and hands, while performing activities of daily living. To achieve this goal, NCCR Robotics researchers are going to develop a novel bidirectional human-machine interface (HMI). Decoding will be based on the combined processing of electroencephalographic (EEG), electromyographic (EMG) and kinematic information from are- as such as neck and trunk while sensory feedback will be provided using while sensory feedback will be provided using non-invasive techniques. In parallel, a wearable robotic device – i.e. the “third arm” – will be developed. It will enable complex motion behaviour combined with intuitive user control, and it will be adaptable to different tasks and users. The project is led by Silvestro Micera, who is collaborating with Aude Billard on the interfaces used to control of the third arm. Jaime Paik’s lab is developing the robotic arm using soft pneumatic actuators, while Roger Gassert at ETH Zurich and Laura Marchal-Crespo at the University of Bern are developing training protocols and participative design methods to make sure the new robot fits the needs of users.