Wearable Metamaterials with Embodied Intelligence for Programmable Control of Human Limbs Tremor

Resulting from alternating muscle contractions, tremors can severely limit human ability to perform everyday tasks due to their disruptive nature. While medication and surgery may not always effectively address tremor control, recent technological advancements have created a strong rationale to develop devices and orthoses for mitigating such tremors. A wearable device embodying programmable smart metamaterials with adaptable intelligence to meet the demand for enhanced tremor control with noninvasive solutions is proposed. This multiphysical metamaterial architecture exploits an array of piezoelectric materials connected to shunt circuits, which dissipate electromechanical energy and diminish the vibration associated with limb tremors. The proposed functionality is illustrated through a numerical upper limb biomechanical model based on high‐fidelity spectral approach, simulating the dynamic behavior of a human limb affected by Parkinson's disease (PD). This study demonstrates the wearable metamaterial‐based device's effectiveness in controlling limb tremors by up to ≈99%, in ideal simulated conditions, concerning one or more frequency bands associated with PD. It further facilitates wider attenuation bands while offering the advantages of on‐demand frequency control via easy reconfiguration of the electronic circuit without the need to replace the entire device, cost‐effectiveness due to the passive control, and significantly reduced mass compared to traditional dynamic absorbers.