{"id":91763,"date":"2024-04-11T15:42:09","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T19:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=91763"},"modified":"2025-10-10T10:17:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T14:17:19","slug":"building-ai-exoskeletons","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/building-ai-exoskeletons\/","title":{"rendered":"Custom Fit: Creating AI-Powered Exoskeletons for Individual Mobility Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Custom Fit: Creating AI-Powered Exoskeletons for Individual Mobility Needs\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

In Canada, about 13.7 per cent of individuals aged 15 and over report having mobility disabilities, requiring the use of assistive devices such as canes and wheelchairs to walk or climb stairs. Despite their widespread use, these traditional tools have limitations as they can cause physical strain, restrict terrain navigation, and pose daily accessibility challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To address these issues, Carleton University researcher Mojtaba Ahmadi<\/a> is designing advanced exoskeletons \u2013 wearable robotic devices powered by artificial intelligence (AI). These exoskeletons aim to provide assistive force for walking and daily activities while addressing the limitations of traditional assistive devices \u2013 offering improved mobility and accessibility for individuals with disabilities in Canada and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExoskeletons can help people stand up and walk, they can help with posture,\u201d says Ahmadi, a professor in Carleton\u2019s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering<\/a>. \u201cIf the device is strong and smart enough, it\u2019s an excellent way for people with disabilities to regain function and autonomy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mojtaba Ahmadi, Carleton University mechanical engineering professor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Advancing Traditional Exoskeletons with AI<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Robotic exoskeletons emerged in the 1960s, primarily for military and industrial uses. It wasn’t until the late 2000s that significant advancements were made, leading to their development for medical and rehabilitation purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite their improvements, many exoskeletons still do not adapt well to the user’s intentions, leading to awkward or inefficient movements. This can result in injury or accidents if the exoskeleton applies too much force or moves in an unexpected way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Carleton\u2019s Advanced Biomechatronics & Locomotion (ABL) lab, Ahmadi and his research team are programming the next generation of robotic exoskeletons using AI so that they seamlessly cooperate with users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A prototype of a walking device built in the ABL lab<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe objective is to try and develop controllers based on body signals that would require the least amount of pre-planning,\u201d Ahmadi explains.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cThe robot uses machine learning to detect the load you are carrying, predict what you are doing, and adapt to helping you with the task.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

To achieve this level of machine intelligence, Ahmadi\u2019s team is using sensor technology to gather data about individual\u2019s movements. This involves attaching electrode sensors to a person\u2019s skin over various muscles and having them perform every-day tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The sensors detect and record the user\u2019s movements by picking up small voltages and categorizing them with a specific task. Using the data collection from this stage, Ahmadi\u2019s team can program the exoskeleton to understand what a person\u2019s movements mean.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cWe have to ensure that the robot helps the user but not too much,\u201d Ahmadi explains.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cFor someone who has a bit of function or strength, it’s not a good idea to provide all the effort that is needed to perform a task. Otherwise, muscles and bones start the to get smaller and weaker.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This delicate balance is what Ahmadi refers to as regulated assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEveryone\u2019s bodily cues are different,\u201d he says. \u201cExoskeletons should be tailored to meet each user\u2019s unique needs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Building an Exoskeleton for Assistive Walking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the lab, Ahmadi\u2019s research not only centers on addressing the significant challenges with current-day exoskeletons but also offers invaluable experiential learning opportunities for students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahmadi\u2019s Intelligent Telepresence Assistive Devices (iTAD) capstone project brings together 16 fourth-year engineering students in the development of robots tailored for assistive mobility. Currently, their focus is on designing a light exoskeleton assistive walking device \u2013 which they named EAWa.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cThe goal is to increase accessibility to those living with walking disabilities and to help healthcare workers support their patients more easily and efficiently,\u201d says Ahmadi.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Mechanical engineering students are building an exoskeleton for assistive walking, named the EAWa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The EAWa \u2013 which is worn around the legs, hips and feet \u2013 is made of mostly as aluminum and 3D printed materials, making it lightweight and easy to use. Equipped with motors and sensors, the device will eventually utilize the similar machine learning technologies used in Carleton\u2019s ABL Lab.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cIf the wearer is having difficulty lifting their leg to take a step, the exoskeleton will provide assistance by lifting the leg for them,\u201d Ahmadi explains.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cSimilarly, if the user is having difficulty maintaining balance, it will provide support to help them stay upright.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The device is part of a three-year project. In its first year, students focused on the design aspects and began building the prototype. This year, a different cohort stepped in to continue its construction and implement its base controllers and programming. The plan is for the third and final group of students to run tests, fine-tune, and complete the device next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. Ahmadi and five members of this year’s iTAD team: Rory Butterfield, Oghenemega Idolor, Jessica Taylor, Quinn Lee-Ward and Erik Webster<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By 2026, Ahmadi hopes to begin running clinical trials with the exoskeleton at the Ottawa Hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are few more challenging, or rewarding, design problems than augmenting the human body,\u201d says Quinn Lee-Ward, this year\u2019s student mechanical engineering lead for the project. \u201cWorking with the iTAD team was a rewarding experience that challenged my ability to blend practical engineering with creative, thoughtful, design solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disability Research Fueled by Personal Experiences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ahmadi\u2019s initial interest in helping people with disabilities stemmed from wanting to help family members with physical ailments.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cI know it can be isolating,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I was a kid my grandfather had a stroke, he was in bed lying down for two years before he passed away. I saw how debilitating it was. I also witnessed meningitis take away my father-in-law\u2019s balance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mojtaba Ahmadi (center) and two PhD students from his lab, Sayyed Hossein Sadat Hosseini (right) and Masoud Karimi (left)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now in the thick of his work, Ahmadi is motivated by the growing number of people living with physical disabilities in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter you start working on medical side of things and talk to your colleagues in the hospital, you learn about challenges that people have.”<\/p>\n\n\n

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