Case Study: IHMC advances robotic exoskeleton mobility with Advanced Navigation Orientus AHRS

IHMC’s Robotic Exoskeleton Strides Towards the Future with Orientus AHRS

IHMC, the Institute for Human & Machine Cognition, is developing the Quix robotic exoskeleton to help paraplegics stand and walk again, but the project requires extremely precise control to keep a powerful motorized device safe and stable. The team needed accurate real-time movement data for balance, heading, and user response, and turned to Advanced Navigation’s Orientus AHRS for support.

Advanced Navigation’s Orientus AHRS was integrated into Quix to deliver accurate roll, pitch, and yaw data with a small form factor that was easy to fit into the robot’s structure. This helped IHMC improve autonomous balancing and overall control, contributing to a safer, more agile exoskeleton; the project also reached the finals of the $4 million Mobility Unlimited Challenge, earning a $500,000 grant, and finished 4th in its category at the 2020 Cybathlon.

IHMC

Peter Neuhaus

Senior Research Scientist