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We present a novel control approach for assistive lower-extremity exoskeletons. In particular, we implement a virtual pivot point (VPP) template model inspired leg force feedback based controller on a lower-extremity powered exoskeleton (LOPES II) and demonstrate that it can effectively assist humans during walking. It has been shown that the VPP template model is capable of stabilizing the trunk...
We have developed a rehabilitation training system called the Useful and Ultimate Rehabilitation System PARKO (UR System PARKO) to promote the recovery of motor function of the severe chronic plegic hand of stroke patients. This system was equipped with two functions to realize two conditions: (1) fixing of all fingers to a hyperextended position and (2) extending the elbow joint while applying resistance...
In recent years, ventilation equipment has been installed in various structures to draw in outdoor air and circulate indoor air. These ventilation installations have pipes (ducts) through which air flows. If dust accumulates in a duct, it will be carried indoors by the airflow. Dust adversely affects human health, and so these ducts must be cleaned regularly. However, the existing cleaning methods...
This paper discusses modeling and nonlinear control of a joint antagonistically actuated by two pneumatic, artificial muscles. A single model of the whole system is obtained by a combined physical and phenomenological modeling approach. The combined model for the joint, the muscles and the proportional valves results in a nonlinear, affine-in-control system description. The model is used to derive...
Lower back pain is a major health concern worldwide. One cause of lower back pain is the burden on the lumbar region caused by the handling of heavy objects. To reduce this burden, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan has recommended “squat lifting.” However, this technique, which supports a large force on lower limbs, is not very popular. Therefore, we aimed to develop a power assist...
EMG signals are often used to control prostheses or assistive devices, but have been rarely used in rehabilitation. We propose a novel approach to personalised rehabilitation, based on EMG-driven force field adaptation. As a step toward this direction, here we show how EMG activity and movement data during a robot-assisted motor task can be used to estimate muscle geometry. We compare three different...
This study does not describe a success-story. Instead, it describes an exploratory process and the lessons learned while designing a compliant mechanism for a dynamic hand orthosis. Tools from engineering optimization and rapid prototyping techniques were used, with the goal to design a mechanism to compensate for hypertonic or contracted finger muscles. Results show that the mechanism did not reach...
Coughing is one of the most important mechanisms performed in human body in that it removes mucus. The absence of enough ability to remove mucus leads to accumulation of the mucus on the airway, followed by possible complications such as pneumonia and atelectasis. Patients with diseases or disorders such as spinal cord injury have weakened ability in coughing. So far, there have been various treatments...
This paper presents a novel tongue-operated joystick device for severely disabled persons. The human tongue can generate varied movements and has superior tactile sensations. The utilization of tactile sensation enables humans to interactively communicate with life support equipment, such as powered wheel chair and robotic manipulators and to control them skillfully and safely. In this study, the...
To investigate, improve, and observe the effect of rehabilitation therapy, many studies have been conducted on evaluating the motor function quantitatively by developing various types of robotic systems. Even though the robotic systems have been developed, functional evaluation of the hand has been rarely investigated, because it is difficult to install a number of actuators or sensors to the hand...
This work reports on preliminary results about on hand movement recognition with Near InfraRed Spectroscopy (NIRS) and surface ElectroMyoGraphy (sEMG). Either basing on physical contact (touchscreens, data-gloves, etc.), vision techniques (Microsoft Kinect, Sony PlayStation Move, etc.), or other modalities, hand movement recognition is a pervasive function in today environment and it is at the base...
This study deals with a technology to estimate the muscle activity from the movement data using a statistical model. A linear regression (LR) model and artificial neural networks (ANN) have been known as statistical models for such use. Although ANN has a high estimation capability, it is often in the clinical application that the lack of data amount leads to performance deterioration. On the other...
Mechatronic rehabilitation devices, especially wearables, have been researched extensively and proven to be promising additions to physical therapy, but most designs utilize traditional actuators providing unnatural, robot-like movements. Therefore, many researchers have focused on the development of actuators that mimic biological properties to provide patients with improved results, safety, and...
In this paper, we address two of the most important challenges in development and control of assistive hand orthosis. First, supported by experimental results, we present a method to determine an optimal set of grasping poses, essential for grasping daily objects. Second, we present a method for determining the minimal number of surface EMG sensors and their locations to carry out EMG-based intention...
There are estimated to be approximately 3.5 million disabled people in Japan, and about half have a handicapped lower or upper limb. Recently, exoskeletons have been receiving attention as potential aids for such individuals. They can make up for lost body muscle, and support walking and standing-up motions. Robots can assist disabled people by using the power of an actuator to provide the force needed...
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of RAGT on the static balance ability of sitting posture in SCI. Changes in COP in the open eyes showed significant differences between groups in the anterior sway category. In both groups, there was a tendency for the front and back sway to decrease, suggesting that RAGT and upper body balance training may have an effect of reducing anterior...
Main purpose of this paper is to describe a propose and compile a dynamometric measurement system which would measure the isometric force of a handgrip. Although, in the practice, there have already been the mechanic hand dynamometers which could evaluate only a limited amount of information, precisely the maximum strength of a handgrip, our aim is to compile the full electronic hand dynamometer....
Several situations require the reliability of hand grasp in different relative positions of the shoulder-elbow system, like handling control elements of working equipment, sporting devices for athletes or rehabilitation supports for temporary or permanently lower limbs impaired people. Therefore the paper presents an experimental method of determining the variation of both anatomical and physiological...
Soft robots have the excellent ability of adopting intricate postures and fitting in complex shapes. This paper presents a work in progress of biomimetic soft frog robot having jump locomotion on land and underwater environments. The frog soft robot is fabricated using multilayer composite of shape memory polymer (SMP), shape memory alloy (SMA), and polyurethane. The fabricated soft robot exactly...
Very strong recent researches offer details about pelvic asymmetry and its pattern of growth. Asymmetric growth of the ilium bone from birth to adolescence and its statistical incidence besides asymmetric growing of other bodies' parts incidence impose the necessity to design a simple test for the risk of scoliosis due to pelvic or sacroiliac asymmetric disorders. The pelvis area is the base support...
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