IEEE Robotics and Automation Society
		     Central New England Chapter

			Tuesday, May 11, 2004
		     Informal Discussion: 6:00 PM
			   Program: 6:30 PM


	  New Horizons for Orthotic & Prosthetic Technology:
		       Merging Body and Machine

			     Presented by

			      Hugh Herr
			 MIT Media Laboratory
			       and the
	MIT-Harvard Division of Health Sciences and Technology

Abstract

The rehabilitation community is at the threshold of a new age in which
orthotic and prosthetic devices will no longer be separate, lifeless
mechanisms, but intimate extensions of the human body-- structurally,
neurologically, and dynamically. This talk discusses scientific and
technological advances that promise to accelerate the merging of body
and machine, including the development of actuator technologies that
behave like muscle and control methodologies that exploit principles
of biological movement. The lecture presents two computer-controlled
devices for leg rehabilitation: 1) an external knee prosthesis for
trans-femoral amputees and 2) a force-controllable ankle-foot orthosis
for stroke, cerebral palsy, or multiple sclerosis patients. For each
device, biologically inspired control schemes automatically modulate
device impedance to satisfy patient-specific gait requirements. The
lecture outlines the clinical benefits of each assistive device,
including improvements in walking economy, biological realism and gait
symmetry.


Biography

Hugh Herr is Assistant Professor of the MIT Media Laboratory and the
MIT-Harvard Division of Health Sciences and Technology. His primary
research objective is to apply principles of muscle mechanics, neural
control and animal locomotion to guide the designs of biomimetic
robots and rehabilitation technologies. His research has led to the
development of novel motor strategies, including the use of
animal-derived muscle to actuate robots in the millimeter to
centimeter size scale. His laboratory has also developed gait adaptive
orthotic and prosthetic systems for the treatment of gait pathologies
resulting from amputation, stroke, cerebral palsy, and multiple
sclerosis.

Media Lab

The MIT Media Laboratory occupies a unique position in the rapidly
evolving landscape of new media and information technologies. Founded
by MIT Professor Nicholas Negroponte and the late Jerome Wiesner
(former science adviser to President John F. Kennedy and former
president of MIT), who foresaw the convergence of computing,
publishing, and broadcast, fueled by changes in the communications
industry.

Since opening its doors in the fall of 1985, the Media Laboratory has
pursued an educational and research mission that has helped to create
now-familiar areas such as digital video and multimedia, and has
brought together disciplines such as cognition, electronic music,
graphic design, video, and holography, as well as work in computation
and human-machine interfaces.

MEETING INFORMATION

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society will meet on Tuesday, May 11,
2004 at Wellesley High School at 6:00 PM for informal discussions and
for the formal presentation between 6:30 and 7:30 PM. The group will
have a no-host dinner afterwards at Bertucci's, where more
conversations can take place with the guest speaker. The meetings are
open to the general public, and all are welcome at the dinner
afterwards.

For more information, contact Rich Maynard at 978-439-5511 x6221 or
send email to info@robotics-boston.org

DIRECTIONS

From Route 128, take either Route 9 or Route 16 west. From the
junction of Routes 9 and 16, follow Route 16 (Washington Street) west
past the Wellesley Hills commuter rail station (within walking
distance of the school, then turn left onto Rice Street. Wellesley
High School is on the left. Parking is available in a lot just beyond
the school.

For a web map showing the location of Wellesley High School, go to the
Yahoo map site at http://maps.yahoo.com/ and enter the following
information in the indicated locations:

    Address: 50 Rice St
    City, State or ZIP: Wellesley, MA

The star marker is misplaced slightly to the south. Imagine it about 1
cm toward the top of the map at Rice St.

For more information about our Section and Chapter, visit our web site
at our URL: http://www.robotics-boston.org/