Maria Carter, Digital Marketing Specialist, Fischer Connectors Inc.02.14.22
Paraplegia results in a dramatic change in the life of the affected person, as well as their social environment. In addition to dealing with the trauma caused to their body, they also lose a good amount of independence. Tasks such as climbing stairs, standing up, getting from points A to B, or even beloved hobbies are compromised. Many activities are only possible through the help of others.
The Swiss company TWIICE has pursued the goal of giving sufferers back a large part of their independence with the help of a modular exoskeleton. The technology is so advanced, it even enables snow skiing to be possible. To ensure the exoskeleton functions reliably under all conditions, TWIICE relies on robust connectors.
The development of a modular exoskeleton for walking support, originally intended for children and small adults, began in February 2015 at the Laboratoire de Systèmes Robotiques of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne. “It was important for us to develop a flexible and lightweight solution that could be adapted exactly to the user‘s needs. The weight of the exoskeleton was also an important issue for us. Since the development was also aimed at children in particular, we wanted to make it as light as possible,“ explained Dr. Tristan Vouga, co-founder and CEO of TWIICE.
In the course of development, the designers realized the modular approach offered benefits well beyond the realm of a pediatric exoskeleton and its advantages were also relevant for adult patients. At 35 pounds, TWIICE‘s exoskeleton is one of the lightest of its kind in the world and one of the most modular.
Modular System for Maximized Flexibility
“Loss of independence is one of many consequences of living with paraplegia. Other implications include reduction of social inclusion and of general mental well-being, but one of the most important aspects of spinal cord injury is the number of secondary health issues associated with it. From the loss of bowel and bladder management to neuropathic pain and drop in bone mineral density, there are many physiological effects that can be mitigated by the use of an exoskeleton regularly,” said Vouga.
TWIICE has motorized joints at hip level and at the knees. Soft interfaces support the upper body, thighs, and legs. By means of electric motors, the knees and hips can be bent and stretched, imitating the movements of walking. Even more complex movements such as climbing stairs can be performed. The batteries located in the back of the exoskeleton provide the necessary energy for up to two hours of uninterrupted walking movements. Spare batteries weighing less than 1 kilogram per set can be carried in a separate backpack. A specific electronic system that controls the exoskeleton’s movements carries out the wearer‘s instructions reliably and safely. The wearer transmits the instructions to the system via a hand control. Since every disability is unique, it was important to the engineers to develop a modular aid that could be easily customized for different users, depending on their body shape and type of impairment.
“One advantage of our system is that we can also respond to the individual needs of our users thanks to its modular structure. For example, one patient was an enthusiastic ski tourer until he became paralyzed. He very much wanted to be able to do that again. As a result, our engineers developed WIITE: a modification of TWIICE that allows you to attach ski boots to the skeleton and go ski touring,“ Vouga reported. In order to be able to adapt the exoskeleton to other needs and wishes, TWIICE is working on further innovations.
Reliable Connectivity
To ensure the joints do what the wearer tells them to do, reliable transmission between the controller and the joint is essential. For this purpose, TWIICE entered into close cooperation with the connectivity experts from Fischer Connectors as early as the development phase.
“It was particularly important to us that the connectors are not only reliable, but also robust enough for all weather conditions and, at the same time, also compact enough that they can be easily inserted into the exoskeleton without sticking out. We have worked closely with Fischer Connectors from the very beginning and together, we have developed solutions for our needs,“ explained Vouga.
The commands the user enters via the hand control are transmitted to the control center in the back section, which is able to take place thanks to the connectors. From there, they are transmitted via other connectors to the knee or hip joints, as well as the electric motors inside, and the walking movement is triggered.
Since the exoskeleton is primarily used outdoors, the connectors had to also withstand the elements. To ensure this, a membrane safely protects the contacts from contamination and moisture in accordance with protection class IP68. At the same time, it enables easy cleaning. Also, the handling is very user friendly. Due to the lack of coding, the connectors have an uncomplicated 360-degree plug-in option. Thanks to ideal cable management, everything remains in its place and the user does not run the risk of getting tangled in the cables. The blind-mate 360-degree locking makes any incorrect operation impossible and the plugging process intuitive.
The connectors—made of chrome-plated aluminum—excel with their low weight; they are about 50 percent lighter than comparable products made of brass. This makes them ideal for mobile applications. Since the connectors can be manufactured in any size and housing shape, it was possible to adapt them precisely to TWIICE‘s needs.
Second Place in the Cybathlon
TWIICE’s technology, which has proven itself in the field, was also able to prove itself in a sporting competition. The ETH Zurich Cybathlon is a competition for people with disabilities who, supported by state-of-the-art technical assistance systems, compete against each other in solving tasks relevant to everyday life. Beyond the competition, the Cybathlon offers a platform to advance research in the field of assistance systems suitable for everyday use. At the 2020 edition, the TWIICE team and athlete Silke Pan won the silver medal in the Powered Exoskeleton Race discipline. The participants in this race have to complete a course as quickly as possible while wearing an exoskeleton. In doing so, they have to master everyday activities such as climbing up and down stairs; opening, passing through, and then closing a door; or overcoming obstacles fixed to the ground.
Quality of Life Through Independence
Walking independently, climbing stairs, or even snow skiing—for most people living with paraplegia, this is an enormous gain in quality of life. It is made possible thanks to the TWIICE exoskeleton. Further, the application possibilities have not been fully exhausted. “Our team is continuously working on new modifications to be able to offer people even more possibilities,” stated Vouga.
An important part of the exoskeleton is the connectors from Fischer Connectors. “We are proud that our connectors contribute to such an exciting and important innovation as the TWIICE exoskeleton. Our products help save people‘s lives in many applications, and now they are also helping to improve the quality of life of paraplegics. That is really something special,“ concluded David Ptacek, national sales director at Fischer Connectors Inc.
Maria Carter has been navigating the world of digital marketing for the last seven years, where she gathered editorial and inbound marketing experience. At Fischer Connectors, she is a part of the team that works on the content strategy to position the company as a thought leader across different markets, including medical.
The Swiss company TWIICE has pursued the goal of giving sufferers back a large part of their independence with the help of a modular exoskeleton. The technology is so advanced, it even enables snow skiing to be possible. To ensure the exoskeleton functions reliably under all conditions, TWIICE relies on robust connectors.
The development of a modular exoskeleton for walking support, originally intended for children and small adults, began in February 2015 at the Laboratoire de Systèmes Robotiques of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne. “It was important for us to develop a flexible and lightweight solution that could be adapted exactly to the user‘s needs. The weight of the exoskeleton was also an important issue for us. Since the development was also aimed at children in particular, we wanted to make it as light as possible,“ explained Dr. Tristan Vouga, co-founder and CEO of TWIICE.
In the course of development, the designers realized the modular approach offered benefits well beyond the realm of a pediatric exoskeleton and its advantages were also relevant for adult patients. At 35 pounds, TWIICE‘s exoskeleton is one of the lightest of its kind in the world and one of the most modular.
Modular System for Maximized Flexibility
“Loss of independence is one of many consequences of living with paraplegia. Other implications include reduction of social inclusion and of general mental well-being, but one of the most important aspects of spinal cord injury is the number of secondary health issues associated with it. From the loss of bowel and bladder management to neuropathic pain and drop in bone mineral density, there are many physiological effects that can be mitigated by the use of an exoskeleton regularly,” said Vouga.
TWIICE has motorized joints at hip level and at the knees. Soft interfaces support the upper body, thighs, and legs. By means of electric motors, the knees and hips can be bent and stretched, imitating the movements of walking. Even more complex movements such as climbing stairs can be performed. The batteries located in the back of the exoskeleton provide the necessary energy for up to two hours of uninterrupted walking movements. Spare batteries weighing less than 1 kilogram per set can be carried in a separate backpack. A specific electronic system that controls the exoskeleton’s movements carries out the wearer‘s instructions reliably and safely. The wearer transmits the instructions to the system via a hand control. Since every disability is unique, it was important to the engineers to develop a modular aid that could be easily customized for different users, depending on their body shape and type of impairment.
“One advantage of our system is that we can also respond to the individual needs of our users thanks to its modular structure. For example, one patient was an enthusiastic ski tourer until he became paralyzed. He very much wanted to be able to do that again. As a result, our engineers developed WIITE: a modification of TWIICE that allows you to attach ski boots to the skeleton and go ski touring,“ Vouga reported. In order to be able to adapt the exoskeleton to other needs and wishes, TWIICE is working on further innovations.
Reliable Connectivity
To ensure the joints do what the wearer tells them to do, reliable transmission between the controller and the joint is essential. For this purpose, TWIICE entered into close cooperation with the connectivity experts from Fischer Connectors as early as the development phase.
“It was particularly important to us that the connectors are not only reliable, but also robust enough for all weather conditions and, at the same time, also compact enough that they can be easily inserted into the exoskeleton without sticking out. We have worked closely with Fischer Connectors from the very beginning and together, we have developed solutions for our needs,“ explained Vouga.
The commands the user enters via the hand control are transmitted to the control center in the back section, which is able to take place thanks to the connectors. From there, they are transmitted via other connectors to the knee or hip joints, as well as the electric motors inside, and the walking movement is triggered.
Since the exoskeleton is primarily used outdoors, the connectors had to also withstand the elements. To ensure this, a membrane safely protects the contacts from contamination and moisture in accordance with protection class IP68. At the same time, it enables easy cleaning. Also, the handling is very user friendly. Due to the lack of coding, the connectors have an uncomplicated 360-degree plug-in option. Thanks to ideal cable management, everything remains in its place and the user does not run the risk of getting tangled in the cables. The blind-mate 360-degree locking makes any incorrect operation impossible and the plugging process intuitive.
The connectors—made of chrome-plated aluminum—excel with their low weight; they are about 50 percent lighter than comparable products made of brass. This makes them ideal for mobile applications. Since the connectors can be manufactured in any size and housing shape, it was possible to adapt them precisely to TWIICE‘s needs.
Second Place in the Cybathlon
TWIICE’s technology, which has proven itself in the field, was also able to prove itself in a sporting competition. The ETH Zurich Cybathlon is a competition for people with disabilities who, supported by state-of-the-art technical assistance systems, compete against each other in solving tasks relevant to everyday life. Beyond the competition, the Cybathlon offers a platform to advance research in the field of assistance systems suitable for everyday use. At the 2020 edition, the TWIICE team and athlete Silke Pan won the silver medal in the Powered Exoskeleton Race discipline. The participants in this race have to complete a course as quickly as possible while wearing an exoskeleton. In doing so, they have to master everyday activities such as climbing up and down stairs; opening, passing through, and then closing a door; or overcoming obstacles fixed to the ground.
Quality of Life Through Independence
Walking independently, climbing stairs, or even snow skiing—for most people living with paraplegia, this is an enormous gain in quality of life. It is made possible thanks to the TWIICE exoskeleton. Further, the application possibilities have not been fully exhausted. “Our team is continuously working on new modifications to be able to offer people even more possibilities,” stated Vouga.
An important part of the exoskeleton is the connectors from Fischer Connectors. “We are proud that our connectors contribute to such an exciting and important innovation as the TWIICE exoskeleton. Our products help save people‘s lives in many applications, and now they are also helping to improve the quality of life of paraplegics. That is really something special,“ concluded David Ptacek, national sales director at Fischer Connectors Inc.
Maria Carter has been navigating the world of digital marketing for the last seven years, where she gathered editorial and inbound marketing experience. At Fischer Connectors, she is a part of the team that works on the content strategy to position the company as a thought leader across different markets, including medical.