A University of Arkansas at Little Rock researcher is part of a team working to improve the lives of millions of senior citizens and others with mobility challenges.

With funding from a more than $1 million National Institutes of Health grant, the researchers are developing a quadrupedal human-assistive robotic platform, or Q-HARP, a support device that could help seniors stay active and live independently.

Similar to a walker, the Q-HARP’s user stands while holding supports on each side. Unlike a walker, the Q-HARP’s four legs will be robotically powered, providing the user with enhanced mobility. The legs will bend, allowing the robot to navigate stairs, curbs, and other environmental obstacles that usually stop wheelchairs and walkers.

During the next three years, Dr. Cang Ye, UALR professor of systems engineering, will work as a subcontractor on the grant, which was awarded to the University of Alabama and will be led by Alabama’s Dr. Xiangrong Shen. Dr. Anne Halli-Tierney of the University of Alabama, Dr. Lena Ting of Emory University, and Dr. Sanford Meek of the University of Utah also will serve as principal investigators on the project.

Funded at $64,914 for the first year, Ye’s portion of the project involves developing 3-D computer methods of human motion analysis and human gesture recognition.

Ye, assisted by a UALR doctoral student, will create a system that monitors and detects users’ movements, making the Q-HARP both interactive and responsive. This system will minimize the risk of falling and maximize users’ control over the device. As a result, the proposed robot could help seniors stay active safely, potentially increasing their quality and length of life.

With minimal modifications, the Q-HARP also could increase senior citizens’ independence. The robot can carry small items, such as groceries, on the side while in use. Additionally, by putting the Q-HARP in “Smart Mule” mode and attaching a net in the center, the user can walk beside the robot while it carries a large load. Essentially, the Q-HARP could make otherwise difficult or impossible tasks, such as shopping alone, accessible for older adults.

The researchers plan to study the physical movements and needs of real senior citizens and their caretakers to ensure that the Q-HARP is as practical and user-friendly as possible. Those involved in the project expect the Q-HARP to dramatically outperform walkers and powered wheelchairs, as well as existing comparable robotic technology.

Ye, who recently was named an Arkansas Research Alliance Fellow, also is leading a team that’s developing a Wearable Robotic Object Manipulation Aid (W-ROMA) for the visually impaired.  

Research reported in this publication is supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01NR016151. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.