Abstract
Many patients with spinal injures are confined to wheelchairs, leading to a sedentary lifestyle with secondary pathologies and increased dependence on a carer. Increasing evidence has shown that locomotor training reduces the incidence of these secondary pathologies, but the physical effort involved in this training is such that there is poor compliance. This paper reports on the design and control of a new “human friendly” orthosis (exoskeleton), powered by high power pneumatic Muscle Actuators (pMAs). The combination of a highly compliant actuation system, with an intelligent embedded control mechanism which senses hip, knee, and ankle positions, velocity, acceleration and force, produces powerful yet inherently safe operation for paraplegic patients. This paper analyzes the motion of ankle, knee, and hip joints under zero loading, and loads which simulate human limb mass, showing that the use of “soft” actuators can provide a smooth user friendly motion. The application of this technology will greatly improve the rehabilitative protocols for paraplegic patients.
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Nelson Costa received his B.Sc degree in Computer and Electronic Engineering in 1995 and his M.Sc in Robotic Systems and Automation in 1999, both at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Advanced Robotics at the University of Salford, Greater Manchester, UK.
His research interests include sensors, actuators, power sources, force augmentation exoskeletons, rehabilitation robotics and haptic feedback systems.
Milan Bezdicek received his M.Sc in Mechatronics from Brno University of Technology in Czech Republic in 2003. He is currently Ph.D. student of Robotics and haptics at the University of Salford, UK.
His research interests include biomechanics, electronics, computer controlled machining, artificial neural networks, haptics, DSP, smart sensors and structure analyzing.
John O. Gray obtained his Ph.D. and D.Sc degrees from the University Manchester in control engineering and his early work focussed on aspects of non linear control systems, C.A.D procedures and precision electromagnetic instrumentation. In 1988 with academic and industrial colleagues he established the U.Ks National Advanced Robotics Research Centre. In the 1990s he organised a series of EC.sponsored conferences on advanced robotics and more recently (2001–2005) chaired EPSRC and IEE networks on advanced robotics.
Darwin G. Caldwell received his B.Sc and Ph.D. in Robotics from the University of Hull in 1986 and 1990 respectively. In 1994 in received a M.Sc in Management. Since 1999 he has been Chair of Advanced Robotics in the Centre for Robotics and Automation at the University of Salford.
He is the author or co-author of over 150 academic papers and has 4 patents. His research interests include innovative actuators and sensors, haptic feedback, force augmentation exoskeletons, dexterous manipulators, humanoid robotics, biomimetic systems, rehabilitation robotics and robotic systems for the food industry.
Prof. Caldwell is currently chair of the UKRI region of the IEEE (Robotics and Automation Society).
Stephen Hutchins is Senior Lecturer in Orthotics at the University of Salford and a registered orthotist with HPC having graduated as an orthotist in 1978. He obtained an M.Sc in Orthotics by research in 1997 for the design of prototype orthotic knee joints to be used in prophylactic knee bracing. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. on the subject of rocker sole development in the treatment of intermittent claudication.
He has a number of UK patents on orthotic knee joint design. His research interests include all aspects of lower limb orthotics and footwear design.
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Costa, N., Bezdicek, M., Brown, M. et al. Joint motion control of a powered lower limb orthosis for rehabilitation. Int J Automat Comput 3, 271–281 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11633-006-0271-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11633-006-0271-x