SUMMARY

The field of wearable robotics is advancing quickly, however, most devices still struggle in environments with complex terrain. Perhaps, poor field performance of wearable devices stems from mechatronic design that does not consider the non-linear physics of interaction between the human-machine system and the environment. Now is the time to combine knowledge from studies of locomotion on granular substrates, and insights from wearable devices designed to interact with the physiological properties of underlying musculoskeletal structures. For example, the mechanisms underpinning the increased cost of moving in sand may be attributed to sinkage into the granular substrate, or inability to tune limb compliance in a dissipative environment. Thus, this research effort focuses on engineering a wearable device that adopts a bio-inspired approach in order to achieve augmented human locomotion over complex media. Towards this goal, this project seeks to (i.) robustly model nominal and augmented human locomotion over a variety of terrains, (ii) empirically characterize the complex interaction dynamics, and Neuromechanics of human locomotion over dissipative media and (iii.) use our findings as a foundation for development of a bio-inspired wearable robotic device that enables its user to effortlessly traverse complex terrain. Our novel device will serve to provide a far more robust, adaptive platform for real-world locomotion on changing terrain than currently available wearable devices.