The MUlti-limb Virtual Environment (MUVE) for full body and multisensory (visual, audio, haptic) interactions is a unique system enabling physical interaction with arms, legs, and supernumerary robotic limbs in dynamic virtual environments. MUVE combines (i) an advanced treadmill based virtual reality motion suite, with (ii) two powerful robotic interfaces to smoothly but forcefully interact with the arms, (iii) up to four light, wearable robotic arms for movement augmentation, and (iv) dedicated sensorimotor interfaces from our laboratories including instrumented objects, soft sensors and exoskeletons, advanced prostheses, high-density EMG and non-invasive neural interfaces. All these elements are synchronised and integrated in a single system.
The MUVE system is to advance engineering, science, clinical research, and translation in:
i. Technologies for rehabilitation of locomotion with tasks also involving full-body physical interactions, sport training, as well as for maintenance in manufacturing and field work.
ii. Movement augmentation through supernumerary wearable robotics with impact in robotic surgery and lone work in remote locations or in constrained environments.
iii. Ergonomics testing and development, such as the integration of active exoskeletons as a wearable robotic technology for automotive industry workers or to support healthy ageing.
iv. Metaverse with physical interaction for large consumer electronics in human interfacing as well as for assistance to and social interaction with elderly, or for virtual patients to carry out distance diagnostics.
It is widely accessible to researchers and companies for developing new pathways in human interfacing, AI and robotics, in the UK and globally.