SCH: INT: Optimal Prosthesis Design with Energy Regeneration

这项研究的目标有三个：(1)开发模拟人类肢体控制的新方法；(2)开发优化假肢控制的新方法，捕捉行走过程中的能量，并储存这些能量以延长有用的假肢寿命；(3)开发假体原型。为了实现这些高水平的目标，我们将追求以下具体目标：(1)在我们的人体运动实验室研究健全步态和截肢者步态；(2)建立人体运动控制的数学模型，为假肢控制提供基础；(3)开发电子假肢控制；(4)开发基于计算机智能的假肢设计参数优化的新方法；(5)制造假肢原型并在机器人系统中进行测试；(6)进行假体原型的人体试验。如果成功，这项研究的结果将导致优化复杂的、相互关联的子系统的新方法，例如假体特有的那些。人类的腿通过在膝盖和脚踝之间传递能量来运作，膝盖吸收能量，脚踝产生能量。这项研究产生的新假肢设计将模仿人类腿部的能量转移。相互关联的工程系统通常是彼此独立地设计和优化的。这会导致过于保守的设计，不能以最佳方式交互，并且限制了性能、适应性和健壮性。这项研究将开发综合优化算法，考虑相关子系统(例如，硬件、软件和控制)之间的相互依赖。目前的膝关节假体不能恢复正常的步态，这导致截肢者的关节退行性疾病。这项研究将开发新的设计和优化方法，使假肢的性能更强健，更接近人类的自然步态，并比目前的假体在电池充电之间持续更长的时间。

The goals of this research are three-fold: (1) To develop new approaches for the simulation of human limb control; (2) To develop new approaches for optimizing prosthetic limb control, capture energy during walking, and store that energy to lengthen useful prosthesis life; and (3) To develop a prosthesis prototype. In order to accomplish these high-level goals, the following specific objectives will be pursued: (1) Study both able-bodied gait and amputee gait in our human motion lab; (2) Develop mathematical models for human motion control to provide a foundation for artificial limb control; (3) Develop electronic prosthesis controls; (4) Develop new approaches for optimizing prosthesis design parameters based on computer intelligence; (5) Fabricate a prosthesis prototype and test the prototype in a robotic system; (6) Conduct human trials of the prosthesis prototype.If successful, the results of this research will lead to new methods for optimizing complex, inter-related subsystems, such as those that are characteristic of prostheses. The human leg operates by transferring energy between the knee, which absorbs energy, and the ankle, which produces energy. The new prosthesis design that results from this research will mimic the energy transfer of the human leg. Inter-related engineering systems are typically designed and optimized independently of each other. This results in designs that are overly conservative, that do not interact optimally, and that limit performance, adaptability, and robustness. This research will develop integrated optimization algorithms that consider the inter-dependence of related subsystems (for example, hardware, software, and control). Current knee prostheses do not restore normal gait, and this contributes to degenerative joint disease among amputees. This research will develop new design and optimization approaches that will allow prostheses to perform more robustly, to perform closer to natural human gait, and to last longer between battery charges than current prostheses.