SOFT WEARABLE ROBOTICS FOR 
REHABILITATION
NOSLJIVA ROBOTIKA V REHABILITACIJI
izr. prof. dr. Vineet Vashista
Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India
Prispelo: 10. 2. 2022
Sprejeto: 11. 2. 2022
Avtor za dopisovanje/Corresponding author (VV): vineet.vashista@iitgn.ac.in
Abstract
Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) is the study of interactions 
between humans and robots. In particular, the major focus is 
on understanding, designing, and evaluating robotic systems 
for use by or with humans. This outlook was first illustrated 
by 20th-century novelist Isaac Asimov. In 1941, in his novel I, 
Robot, he stated the "Three Laws of Robotics" to determine 
the idea of safe interaction between robots and humans. With 
the advances in technology, such as computational capability, 
artificial intelligence, controllers, and system understanding, 
we have come a long way since then to allow more natural and 
effective interaction between humans and robots. In this talk, 
the speaker highlights the human-robot physical collaboration 
aspect of HRI. The talk will give a general overview of soft 
wearable robots for rehabilitation. The speaker will take a 
few examples of cable-driven robots for pelvic and lower 
extremity assistance to highlight the design and control of such 
devices. A few experimental studies will also be presented 
to narrate the benefits and challenges of the soft wearable 
robotics.
Key words: 
human-robot interaction; robots for rehabilitation; cable-driv-
en robots
Povzetek
Interakcija med človekom in robotom (IČR) preučuje sodelovanje 
ljudi in robotov. Poseben poudarek daje razumevanju, načrtova-
nju in vrednotenju robotskih sistemov, ki jih ljudje uporabljajo ali 
z njimi sodelujejo. Ta vidik je prvi orisal Isaac Asimov, pisatelj iz 
20. stoletja. Leta 1941 je v zgodbi »Jaz, robot« zapisal tri zakone 
robotike, ki določajo varno sodelovanje med roboti in ljudmi. Z 
naprednimi tehnologijami, kot so računalniške zmožnosti, umetna 
inteligenca, elektronski kontrolniki in razumevanje sistemov, 
smo od tistega časa prehodili dolgo pot do bolj naravnega in 
učinkovitega sodelovanja med ljudmi in roboti. V prispevku bo 
avtor v okviru IČR osvetlil vidik fizičnega sodelovanja človeka 
in robota. Podal bo splošen pregled nosljivih robotov za uporabo 
v rehabilitaciji. Prikazal bo primere visečih robotov za podporo 
medenice in spodnjih udov, s čimer bo izpostavil načrtovanje in 
nadzor takih naprav. Predstavil bo tudi nekaj eksperimentalnih 
raziskav, ki kažejo dobrobiti in izzive v nosljivi robotiki.
Ključne besede: 
interakcija med človekom in robotom; rehabilitacijski roboti; 
viseči roboti
Vashista / letnik XXI, supl. 1 (2022)
21