MOVEMENT Status

Project Status (end of project) see also: Results

Project year 1

Official project start at September 1st, 2004.
Project folder available - see Publications.
Report about User Abilities, Preferences and Needs as well as Technical Specifications finalised.
A User Panel is established in Italy, Austria and the Netherlands.
Specifications for Platform, Docking mechanism, Application modules, Communication and Interfaces completed.
Development of first Prototype has started.
Reporting of the work of the first year was done - see publishable part of the Periodic Activity Report No 1.
The first Project review took place in Brussels on October 10th, 2005.

Project year 2

Meetings of the user panels and update of the 'User Abilities, Preferences and Needs' document.
Update of the technical specifications and module concepts.
Successful tests of wireless communication between pre-prototype of platform and control unit.
Production of prototype platforms.
Docking mechanism between platform and application modules finalized.
First application modules (simple chair, information and control terminal) were built.
Tests with platform and application modules in laboratory environment have started.
Concepts for shared control and sensor system were evaluated in simulated environment.
Reporting of the work of the second year was done - see publishable part of the Periodic Activity Report No 2.
The second Project review took place in Brussels on November 13th, 2006.

Project year 3

Prototype 1 is available
Presentation of the first prototype at the REHACARE-fair in October 2006

Booth of OTTO BOCK presenting the Movement system at the REHACARE 2006
Technical and expert evaluation of Prototype 1 was performed in Austria, Netherlands, Italy
The User Interface for Prototype 1 was tested by end users and experts. Many useful comments were collected, users with largely diverse needs appreciated the presented functionality and reconfirmed the concept.
A Video of Prototype 1 in actual use demonstrates the functionality of the system with the concrete prototype.
With the Prototype 1 system a user is able to drive with the Chair module in automatic or manual mode and have the system fetch the 'Information and Comunication' module automatically upon request.

- The video can be downloaded here.
(Please note that the video is 11MB of size and may take some time for downloading depending on your internet connection)
Exemplary pictures of some modules of the Prototype 1:

Pictures showing the 'Simple Chair' module, the 'Information and Communication' module and the 'User Interface' hardware (touchscreen and joystick)
Tests with new sensors for the Prototype 2 were successful.
New application modules 'Multi Functional Chair' and 'Lifter/Walker' for Prototype 2 are finished.
Protoptype 2 was ready in end of April 2007

A third Project review took place in Brussels on May 13th, 2007.
The project was extended until end 2007 to allow for better timing of Prototype 3 development and evaluation
Evaluation of Prototype 2 (with end users) in June 2007 took place. Real time experience of functionality caused enthusiastic reactions from users that earlier had only seen videos and demonstrations.

Project year 4:

Presentation of Prototype 3 at the REHACARE-fair 2007 and demonstration to potential buyers for preparation of market plans

- The Rehacare video can be downloaded here.
(Please note that the video is 8MB of size and may take some time for downloading depending on your internet connection)

Exemplary pictures of some modules of the Prototype 3:

Table module User interface

Pictures showing the 'Adjustable Table' module and the improved 'User Interface' hardware (touchscreen and joystick)

A consortium meeting assessed the prototype status and developed the exploitation strategy for the time after the project. The project resulted in prototypes of a versatile system and published 3rd-party guidelines for compatible modules and services. Exploitation will now focus on a concrete application in institutional care settings after a field trial.
As last component of Prototype 3 the Shared Control Unit has been finished
Final Prototype 3 evaluation tests started in December 2007 and were finished in February 2008 with emphasis on Shared Control and Intention Estimation (Assisted driving)

Maneuver executed in a home-like environment. Possible intentions are displayed in red (numbered items)
All planned modules have been developed and tested
Reporting of the work of the third year was done - see publishable part of the Periodic Activity Report No 3 .
The final project review was held in Hoensbroek at partner iRv (NL) on March 7th, 2008.

Upcoming:

The prototype evaluation results will be assessed as starting point for a field trial phase for market preparation
The consortium under the lead of Otto Bock will start to transfer the results to a marketable product.

Last update 06.05.2008