Open Access

3D printing offers customisation capabilities regarding suspensions for oscillators of vibration energy harvesters. Adjusting printing parameters or geometry allows to influence dynamic properties like resonance frequency or bandwidth of the oscillator. This paper presents simulation results and measurements for a spiral shaped suspension printed with polylactic acid (PLA) and different layer heights. Eigenfrequencies have been simulated and measured and damping ratios have been experimentally determined.

A novelty solution for controls of assistive technology represent the usage of eye tracking devices such as for smart wheelchairs and robotic arms [10, 4]. In this context usage supporting methods like artificial feedback are not well explored. Vibrotactile feedback has shown to be helpful to decrease the cognitive load on the visual and auditive channels and can provide a perception of touch [17]. People with severe limitations of motor functions could benefit from eye tracking controls supported with vibrotactile feedback. In this study fundamental results will be presented in the design of an appropriate vibrotactile feedback system for eye tracking applications. We will show that a perceivable vibrotactile stimulus has no significant effect on the accuracy and precision of a head worn eye tracking device. It is anticipated that the results of this paper will lead to new insights in the design of vibrotactile feedback for eye tracking applications and eye tracking controls.

Background: Assistive Robotic Arms are designed to assist physically disabled people with daily activities. Existing joysticks and head controls are not applicable for severely disabled people such as people with Locked-in Syndrome. Therefore, eye tracking control is part of ongoing research. The related literature spans many disciplines, creating a heterogeneous field that makes it difficult to gain an overview. Objectives: This work focuses on ARAs that are controlled by gaze and eye movements. By answering the research questions, this paper provides details on the design of the systems, a comparison of input modalities, methods for measuring the performance of these controls, and an outlook on research areas that gained interest in recent years. Methods: This review was conducted as outlined in the PRISMA 2020 Statement. After identifying a wide range of approaches in use the authors decided to use the PRISMA-ScR extension for a scoping review to present the results. The identification process was carried out by screening three databases. After the screening process, a snowball search was conducted. Results: 39 articles and 6 reviews were included in this article. Characteristics related to the system and study design were extracted and presented divided into three groups based on the use of eye tracking. Conclusion: This paper aims to provide an overview for researchers new to the field by offering insight into eye tracking based robot controllers. We have identified open questions that need to be answered in order to provide people with severe motor function loss with systems that are highly useable and accessible.

In diesem Artikel werden die neuesten Entwicklungen in der Forschungsgruppe um Herrn Prof. Dr. Wendt vorgestellt. Es wird der Einsatz des neuen 3-D-Druckers der Firma Neotech, sowie die neuesten Entwicklungen im Leuchtturmprojekt Flitzmo beschrieben. Zudem konnte dieses Jahr mit dem Projekt zum Einsatz von Robotik im Bereich Assisted Living begonnen werden.