Page 124 - International Space Station Benefits for Humanity, 3rd edition.

help of engineers from Oceaneering Space Systems
(https://www.oceaneering.com/space-systems/) of
Houston, jointly developed a robotic exoskeleton called
X1. The X1 technology, derived from Robonaut, may
someday help astronauts stay healthier in space as
well as assist people with physical disabilities on Earth.
Currently in the research and development phase,
X1 is a 57-pound robotic device designed to be
worn over the human body either to assist or inhibit
movement in leg joints. Worn over the legs with a
harness that extends up the back and around the
shoulders, X1 has 10 degrees of freedom, or joints:
four motorized joints at the hips and knees, and six
passive joints that allow for sidestepping, turning
and pointing, and flexing a foot.
Employing IHMC’s experience in exoskeleton
development for paraplegics, NASA and IHMC
made R2 arm technology slim enough to allow
a person in a wheelchair to use it to get out of
the wheelchair. The X1 device has the potential to
produce enough force to provide assisted walking
over varied terrain to paraplegics or other patients
in rehabilitation settings.
In addition to the IHMC and NASA applications of the
X1 technology, researchers at the University of Houston
(http://www.uh.edu/) are adapting an exoskeleton
that will be controlled by brain signals. This type of
exoskeleton would use a device that is attached to
The Robo-Glove was built through the continuing a person’s head to read signals that the brain sends
partnership between NASA and General Motors. to the legs to get them to move.
It uses R2 technology to decrease fatigue and
stress when a human grasps an object.
Telemedicine Applications
Image credit: NASA
The Houston Methodist Research Institute
(http://www.houstonmethodist.org/research/) and
NASA worked together to adapt Robonaut technology
The RoboGlove also generated interest from the for use in telemedicine (i.e., conducting medical
medical community. For instance, patients in procedures through electronic communication) by
rehabilitation may benefit from a device that helps tasking R2 to perform an ultrasound scan of a medical
them recover their ability to grasp objects. An adapted mannequin and use a syringe as part of a procedure.
glove that is able to both open and close could help With human control of the teleoperated R2, tasks were
patients who are recovering from brain injury. NASA performed with accuracy and efficiency using R2’s
engineers have explored ways to adapt the glove for dexterity to apply the appropriate level of force and its
people with partial hand amputations, as well. A future vision system to monitor progress. This demonstration
partnership with a medical center or research institution of R2’s capabilities could potentially allow physicians to
could expand RoboGlove technology to medical conduct complex medical procedures on humans
settings, in addition to its use for space exploration in remote locations on Earth or in space.
and factory work at GM.
NASA’s Space Technology Program is developing,
testing and applying robotic technologies through
Exoskeleton Technology
these kinds of innovative partnerships. NASA continues
NASA and The Florida Institute for Human and Machine to look for new collaborative opportunities to leverage
Cognition (IHMC) (https://www.ihmc.us/), with the resources that will help all partners increase their

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