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The unicycle\u2019s continuous motion makes the math easier for robots, compared to the start-and-stop motion of walking.(WCTV)<\/p>\nTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The Florida State Flying High Circus isn\u2019t the only group of Seminoles working on a balancing act. <\/p>\n
A couple miles away at the FSU-FAMU College of Engineering, a group of researchers is recruiting volunteers to master the unicycle, all in the name of science. <\/p>\n
Associate Professor Taylor Higgins is leading the one-wheeled charge inside the college\u2019s robotics lab. <\/p>\n
The unicycle\u2019s continuous motion makes the math easier for robots, compared to the start-and-stop motion of walking.(WCTV)<\/p>\n
She recently met up with WCTV to talk about her work, which has a lofty goal. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to rehabilitate the ability to walk after a really critical injury,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Her team is on the hunt for a more perfect robot, one that could use artificial intelligence to better understand human motion. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot that we still are not quite clear on about how humans learn to do these really amazing things,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
That includes \u201chow humans learn to do this weird unicycling thing,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n
Robotics has been incorporated into physical therapy, but it\u2019s still a work in progress, according to Jennifer Maphis. She\u2019s the regional director of physical and occupational therapy at Tallahassee Orthopedic Center. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t just do one motion. Very rarely is a human body moving in one plane,\u201d Maphis said.<\/p>\n
Current robotic exoskeletons are too rigid. <\/p>\n
More Tallahassee news: <\/p>\n
\u201cMy brain wants to do one thing, and the exoskeleton doesn\u2019t quite get there,\u201d Maphis said. <\/p>\n
She\u2019s not involved with this project but thinks the unicycle is a perfect choice. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt makes perfect sense,\u201d Maphis said. \u201cThe unicycle is something that not many people have tried.\u201d<\/p>\n
Higgins agreed. The unicycle\u2019s continuous motion makes the math easier for robots, compared to the start-and-stop motion of walking. <\/p>\n
But the unicycle is difficult to master for the average human. <\/p>\n
Higgins said someone hopping on the contraption for the first time is in a similar anxiety-inducing predicament as someone relearning to walk following a stroke, for example. <\/p>\n
So now, the volunteers will strap on a motion capture suit with sensors to collect data. <\/p>\n
Higgins said the recruits will receive minimal instruction on how to ride. Instead, they\u2019ll show up to the lab three times a week for an hour at a time, working with walls and ramps to build up the skill over time. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to get back up and try again and again and again,\u201d Higgins said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow can we either leverage or get past this feeling of fear to improve how fast we relearn these skills?\u201d<\/p>\n
The project will have three phases. <\/p>\n
Volunteers will train on the regular unicycle. Researchers will collect that data on \u2018human learning\u2019 and compare it with \u2018machine learning.\u2019 <\/p>\n
They\u2019ll then use those findings to develop a \u201croboticized unicycle\u201d that hopefully accelerates the learning process. <\/p>\n
The hope is that this work could then be applied in a physical therapy setting to improve outcomes for those relearning to walk. <\/p>\n
The project is still in its early phases, and Higgins said she\u2019s found no shortage of volunteers to hop on and give the unicycle a go. <\/p>\n
More information about the project, including its funding, can be found here. <\/a><\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2025 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n