Biomechatronics – Assisting the Impaired Motor System

Biomechatronics concerns the interdisciplinary field of interaction with the human neuromuscular-skeletal system with the objective to assist impaired human motor control. In this field technology is developed that integrates neuroscience, robotics, interface and sensor technology, dynamic systems and control theory. The primary issue in this field concerns the concepts of assisting impaired human motor function. The secondary, derived, issue concerns possible methods of interfacing with the human body at all hierarchical levels of the human motor system. The application of motor assist systems may serve several goals: it can take over part of the affected motor control, enable the physiological motor system to perform the desired function or aid in training the impaired physiological system. The progress in these issues are reviewed and their potential implications for assistance of the impaired human motor system are discussed.