Tell Me More: Our Future Bodies

Arts + Industries Building

Tell Me More invites you to explore the creation and function of groundbreaking inventions like Exosuit through live demonstrations.

Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building

“[The soft exosuit] approach may help support the adoption of wearable robotics in real-world, dynamic situations by enabling comfortable, tailored, and adaptive assistance.” Conor Walsh According to the World Health Organization (WHO),<a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/musculoskeletal-conditions" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> approximately 1.71 billion people have musculoskeletal conditions worldwide.</a> Ever-changing advancements in technology have the potential to enhance our overall standards of living. As our population gets older, researchers and technologists are creating ways to extend and support the capabilities of the body. Robotic exoskeletons and exosuits are futuristic ideas in the present where robot technology can increase our human abilities and complement the natural biomechanics of the human musculoskeletal system. A team of researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences &amp; Wyss Institute at Harvard University have developed soft wearable robots that can be used for assisting and rehabilitating people from diseases such as stroke or Parkinson’s Disease, assisting the elderly in maintaining and restoring gait, or help boost productivity and reduce injury potential in the workplace. When worn on the lower body, <a href="https://wyss.harvard.edu/technology/soft-exosuits-for-lower-extremity-mobility/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Exosuit</a> could help you walk or run faster, carry a heavier load, or walk farther by reducing the amount of energy used. For patients rehabilitating from stroke or other diseases, it can help aid movement and recovery in the clinic, community, and home. A bioinspired approach, whether it measures your <a href="https://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2021/11/personalized-exosuit-real-world-walking" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">muscle movement</a> or how you walk and run, means the exosuit can respond to your individual needs to help with dynamic tasks. Another biosuit example is this <a href="https://wyss.harvard.edu/technology/soft-robotic-glove/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">soft robotic glove</a>. This glove has inflatable chambers that gently bend and straighten the fingers, providing the stretching and repetitive exercise needed to restore flexibility and recover lost hand function, such as after a stroke. Low pressure and comfortable materials make this device safe and desirable for repeated use. Feedback collected from sensors in the glove can be sent to an occupational therapist, who can remotely modify the rehabilitation program and assess progress in real time. Those same sensor signals can be used to facilitate “exer-gaming,” to help make the thousands of repetitions needed to improve function more interesting and engaging. Tell Me More invites you to explore the creation and function of groundbreaking inventions like Exosuit through live demonstrations. We are pulling back the curtains to help you take a part in the discovery of how Exosuit works and can aid our futures.   Livestreaming sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal. With:

<a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/richardnuckols/bio" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Dr. Richard Nuckols</a>, Ph.D is a post-doctoral research associate in the Biodesign Lab at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science, and biomechanical research staff with<a href="https://www.movelab.seas.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> Harvard Move Lab</a>. Richard is interested in the design and evaluation of technology for real-world use in diagnosing, assisting, and rehabilitating functional human movement. His research addresses interconnected efforts including development of wearable sensors, evaluation of human movement and human-robot interaction, and design of wearable robots that are individualized to the user and adaptive to varied environments. Past research demonstrated a bioinspired approach that uses ultrasound measurements of calf muscle force to develop personalized and activity-specific exosuit profiles. He is applying similar principles towards the design and evaluation of exosuits for assisting and rehabilitating patient populations such as individuals post-stroke in the clinic and community.

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-nuckols-931634119/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Dr. Kristin Nuckols</a>,OTD, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist focused on providing technology-based intervention for adults with neurologic conditions for 15 years. She became an expert, leader, and educator in utilization of both low-tech and high-tech interventions in clinical settings. She spent the past four years performing upper limb robotics research through Harvard University and MGH Institute of Health Professions, as well as completing a post-professional doctorate in OT at Boston University. For her doctoral project, she created an evidence-based telehealth protocol for adults with chronic stroke. In her latest venture, she co-founded Imago Rehab, helping adults with neurologic conditions by providing a motivating behavioral program along with wearable robotic assistance, all from the home setting.

<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/asa-eckert-erdheim" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Asa Eckert-Erdheim</a> is a staff robotics engineer in the Biodesign Lab in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. His work focuses on designing wearable robots to augment human performance, with an emphasis on mobility. Asa aims to take early stage research prototypes and develop them into easy-to-use, functional devices that can bring real-world benefits to people. His previous work includes devices for assisting the ankle, knee, and hip, including exosuits to reduce energy expenditure during loaded walking as part of the DARPA Warrior Web program. He is currently working on devices that enable more effective rehabilitation and help restore mobility for impaired populations, such as individuals post-stroke.

<a href="https://ati.seas.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">David Perry</a> is the Executive Director of <a href="https://www.movelab.seas.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Harvard Move Lab</a> where he helps researchers bring exciting human performance advances to market. Prior to this position he was Technical Lead for the Exosuits program at Harvard University&#x27;s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering where he oversaw development of wearable robotic systems that augment human performance and assist people with a variety of lower limb disabilities. David&#x27;s background is in engineering and product development; his work in design consulting has given him the opportunity to lead or contribute to 20+ product development efforts and bring exciting devices to market. David holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

<a href="http://www.emilygraslie.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Emily Graslie</a> is a science communicator and writer, video host, and educational media producer. She was the first-ever ‘Chief Curiosity Correspondent’ for the Field Museum in Chicago, creating more than 200 episodes for the popular natural history-themed channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/thebrainscoop" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">The Brain Scoop</a>. She appeared on PBS’ original series Prehistoric Road Trip — and in PBS Digital Studios’ limited program In Our Nature. She independently produces the show <a href="https://www.youtube.com/emilygraslie" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">ART LAB</a> in partnership with the Described and Captioned Media Program. Graslie has received numerous accolades for her work, including the American Alliance of Museum’s Nancy Hanks Award for Professional Excellence. She holds an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Allegheny College, and in 2018 researchers at the Universities of Florida and Paraná named a new species of butterfly in recognition of her outreach efforts: Wahydra graslieae.

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Tell Me More: Our Future Bodies

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Tell Me More: Our Future Bodies

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