Wheelchairs and mobility devices have transformed our bodies into cybernic systems, extending our well-being by enabling individuals with reduced mobility to regain freedom. Notwithstanding, current interfaces of control require to use the hands, therefore constraining the user from performing functional activities of daily living. In this work, we present a unique design of torso-based control interface with compliant coupling support for standing mobility assistive devices. We take the coupling between the human and robot into consideration in the interface design. The design includes a compliant support mechanism and a mapping between the body movement space and the velocity space. We present experiments including multiple conditions, with a joystick for comparison with the proposed torso control interface. The results of a path-following experiment showed that users were able to control the device naturally using the hands-free interface, and the performance was comparable with the joystick, with 10% more consumed time, an average cross error of 0.116 m and 4.9% less average acceleration. The result of an object-transferring experiment showed the advantage of using the proposed interface in case users needed to manipulate objects while locomotion. The torso control scored 15% less in the System Usability Scale than the joystick in the path following task but 3.3% more in the object transferring task.

翻译：轮椅和移动设备将我们的身体转变为赛博系统，通过帮助行动不便者重获自由来提升其福祉。然而，目前的控制接口仍需使用双手，这限制了用户进行日常生活功能性活动的能力。本文提出了一种独特的设计方案，即带有柔性耦合支撑的躯干控制接口，用于站立式移动辅助设备。我们在接口设计中考虑了人与机器人之间的耦合关系，该设计包含柔性支撑机构以及身体运动空间与速度空间之间的映射。我们开展了包含多种条件的实验，并使用操纵杆与所提出的躯干控制接口进行对比。路径跟踪实验结果表明，用户能够通过免手控制接口自然地操作设备，其性能与操纵杆相当，耗时多10%，平均横向误差为0.116米，平均加速度低4.9%。物体转移实验结果表明，当用户需要在移动中操作物体时，所提出的接口具有优势。在路径跟踪任务中，躯干控制在系统可用性量表上的评分比操纵杆低15%，但在物体转移任务中高3.3%。