BRIGE: Exploration of Chemo-Muscle Actuation in Active Above-Knee Prostheses

Pi：沈向荣建议编号：1125783这项布里奇方案中的研究探索了一种新的驱动方法，即化学肌肉驱动作为一种能量活跃的膝上(AK)假体的驱动方法。利用这种新的驱动方法提供的高性能，所产生的有源AK假体有望产生足够的功率输出，以恢复高能量要求的模式下的机车功能(如上坡行走和爬楼梯)。这项研究将为PI的长期研究目标奠定坚实的基础，该目标是创造一种实用的动力膝关节和踝关节AK假体，其功能、重量和大小与生物下肢相当。利用机器人假肢方面的研究，国际机器人协会还将创建一系列教育活动，共同主题为“用机器人帮助残疾人！”这些活动将为PI的教育目标奠定基础，即利用生物医学机器人作为创新的教育媒体，在日益多样化的学生群体中扩大对工程研究和教育的参与。INTELLECTUAL MERIT在AK假肢领域，大多数最先进的设备都是能量被动的。不能提供关节动力严重损害了他们恢复失去的肢体功能的能力。为了克服这一局限，将引入一种新的化学肌肉驱动方法。这种驱动系统能够在紧凑的封装中实现高功率输出和长时间的运行。集成了两个关键元件，包括：(1)高能量密度电源，通过一种特殊类型的液体燃料实现，即单推进剂(如过氧化氢)，与某些催化材料接触时会瞬间分解，并产生大量气体混合物用于气动执行；(2)高功率密度执行器，即气动人造肌肉，它模仿生物肌肉的工作机制，以轻便灵活的结构提供强大的功率输出。在提供高驱动性能的同时，化学肌肉还为假体使用提供了足够的安全性和耐力特性，利用了单推进剂的固有安全性，并结合了适当的设计措施。为了探索化学肌肉驱动在主动AK假体中的应用，拟议的两年计划预计将实现三个目标，包括：(1)收集用户输入并创建动力AK假体的设计指南；(2)建立灵活紧凑的化学肌肉驱动AK假体的驱动结构，并开发用于性能评估的系留假体原型(带有动力膝关节和脚踝关节)；(3)开发稳健的控制算法，以生成平稳而自然的行走步态。这项拟议的研究有可能通过显著提高这些截肢者的行动能力和生活质量而造福社会。此外，利用生物医学机器人的互动性，国际机器人协会将创建一系列教育活动，其共同主题是：(1)招募、留住和指导残疾学生进行机器人假肢研究，理念是“残疾人为残疾人进行与残疾有关的研究”。(2)通过各种途径从代表性不足的群体中招募研究生研究人员。(3)将本科研究与为科学博物馆开发机械臂展览相结合。(4)开发一门新的研究生水平的课程“生物医学机器人”。(5)通过机器人活动促进初中/高中的科学和工程，重点是附近萨姆特县的非裔美国学生，该县是美国收入最低的学区之一，非裔美国人的入学率为99%。

PI: Shen, XiangrongProposal Number: 1125783The research in this BRIGE proposal explores Chemo-Muscle actuation as a novel actuation approach for energetically-active above-knee (AK) prostheses. With the high performance provided by this novel actuation approach, the resulting active AK prosthesis is expected to generate sufficient power output to restore the locomotive functions in energetically-demanding modes (such as upslope walking and stair climbing). This research will lay a solid foundation for the PI's long-term research goal of creating a practical powered-knee-and-ankle AK prosthesis with comparable functionality, weight, and size as biological lower limbs. Leveraging the research in robotic prosthetics, the PI will also create a series of educational activities with the common theme of "Helping Disabled Persons with Robotics!" These activities will develop a basis for the PI's educational goal of broadening the participation in engineering research and education among an increasingly diverse student population, leveraging the biomedical robotics as an innovative educational media.INTELLECTUAL MERITIn the area of AK prosthetics, the majority of state-of-the-art devices are energetically passive. The inability to deliver joint power significantly impairs their ability of restoring lost limb functions. To overcome this limitation, a novel Chemo-Muscle actuation approach will be introduced. This actuation system enables high power output and long duration of operation within a compact package. Two key elements are incorporated, including: (1) a high-energy-density supply, achieved through a special type of liquid fuel, namely monopropellant (e.g. hydrogen peroxide), which decomposes instantaneously upon the contact with certain catalytic materials and generates a large volume of gaseous mixture for pneumatic actuation; and (2) a high-power-density actuator, namely pneumatic artificial muscle, which emulates the functioning mechanism of biological muscles and provides a large power output with a light-weight flexible structure. While providing high actuation performance, Chemo-Muscle also provides adequate safety and endurance features for prosthetic use, leveraging the inherently safe nature of monopropellant in combination with proper design measures. To explore the application of Chemo-Muscle actuation in active AK prostheses, the proposed two-year plan is expected to achieve three objectives, including: (1) Collect user inputs and create a design guideline for powered AK prostheses; (2) Establish a flexible and compact actuation structure for Chemo-Muscle actuated AK prostheses, and develop a tethered prosthesis prototype (with powered knee and ankle joints) for performance evaluation; (3) Develop a robust control algorithm to generate a smooth and natural walking gait.BROADER IMPACTSCurrently, there are more than 357,000 above-knee amputees in the U.S., and this number is expected to double by 2050. The proposed research has the potential to benefit society by significantly enhancing these amputees' mobility and improving their life quality. Furthermore, leveraging the interactive nature of biomedical robotics, the PI will create a series of educational activities with the common theme of "Helping Disabled Persons with Robotics!" (1) Recruiting, retaining and mentoring disabled students for robotic prosthetics research, with the notion of "Disability-related research conducted by disabled persons for disabled persons." (2) Recruiting graduate student researchers from underrepresented groups through a variety of routes. (3) Integrating undergraduate research with the development of a robotic arm exhibit for a science museum. (4) Developing a new graduate-level course "Biomedical Robotics." (5) Promoting science and engineering in middle/high schools with robotic activities, with the emphasis on the African American students in the nearby Sumter County, one of the lowest-income school districts in the nation with 99% African American enrollment.