NRI: FND: COLLAB: An Open-Source Robotic Leg Platform that Lowers the Barrier for Advanced Prosthetics Research

NRI：FND：COLLAB：降低高级假肢研究障碍的开源机器人腿部平台

• 批准号: 1949346
• 负责人: Robert Gregg
• 金额: $ 19.3万
• 依托单位: Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-07-25 至 2022-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1949346&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NRI; FND; COLLAB; Open; Source

The objective of this project is to provide researchers with access to a fully capable and standardized open-source robotic leg research platform, without the immense burden of developing each component from scratch. The outcome will be a robust and inexpensive test bed that can be easily manufactured, assembled, and controlled. One of the greatest challenges to the design and commercialization of robotic prosthetic legs is the control strategy -- that is, the computerized instruction set that specifies the effort level and timing for each component of the mechanism. Challenges in developing control strategies stem from the many different functions that an active robotic limb must accomplish. One important function is to detect the amputee's intention to perform different mobility activities, such as walking on a level surface versus ascending or descending stairs. Another important function is to coordinate the pattern of effort and movement of the prosthetic limb in order to emulate the healthy human body. There are many researchers working independently on better control algorithms to address challenges such as these. To be of value, these algorithms must be tested and validated experimentally. Research groups around the world have created a variety of specialized robotic leg designs for this purpose, representing a significant investment of time and effort. The resources required to obtain a suitable research platform represent a substantial obstacle for new researchers to overcome. Furthermore, the vast difference in designs used by established researchers hinders the comparison of new control strategies across research groups. The accessible, standardized leg platform resulting from this project will lower barriers to entry, allowing new researchers to study the control of robotic legs, to unambiguously compare different control approaches, and to generally advance the field. Finally, the improved prosthetic leg designs arising in the long term from this project will benefit the lives of amputees. The overall research goals of this project are 1) to identify an electromechanical design for a low cost, high performance, open-source robotic knee and ankle system; 2) to understand how separate prosthesis control strategies can be combined to benefit amputee gait, and 3) to evaluate and compare resulting controllers in amputee experiments. The approach utilizes a novel design methodology employing selectable series elasticity and high-torque motor technology to achieve high performance at low cost. Interchangeable control modules in the open-source architecture allow researchers to investigate new control methods at low, mid, and high levels of the system, that is, motor drive, joint control, and human intent recognition, respectively. In particular, a reflex-based approach and a phase-based approach will be implemented as mid-level control modules and a high-level intent recognition module will enable the robotic leg to automatically switch between different user activities. In all cases, having the new robot leg available together with these algorithms will enable testing in real-world scenarios, rather than being confined to the laboratory. The results of this project will lower the barrier for conducting research and enable fair comparison across different control approaches with standardized leg hardware. Finally, the proposed work will impact students and the community through training, outreach, and dissemination.

该项目的目标是为研究人员提供一个功能齐全的标准化开放源码机器腿研究平台，而不是从头开始开发每个组件的巨大负担。其结果将是一个坚固而廉价的试验台，可以轻松地制造、组装和控制。机器人假肢设计和商业化面临的最大挑战之一是控制策略--即指定机构每个部件的努力水平和时机的计算机化指令集。开发控制策略的挑战来自于主动机械臂必须完成的许多不同功能。一项重要的功能是检测截肢者进行不同活动的意图，例如在水平表面上行走，而不是上升或下降楼梯。另一个重要的功能是协调假肢的努力和运动模式，以模仿健康的人体。有许多研究人员独立地致力于更好的控制算法来应对这样的挑战。为了有价值，这些算法必须经过实验测试和验证。世界各地的研究小组为此创造了各种专门的机械腿设计，投入了大量的时间和精力。获得合适的研究平台所需的资源是新研究人员需要克服的重大障碍。此外，现有研究人员使用的设计的巨大差异阻碍了不同研究小组之间新控制策略的比较。该项目产生的无障碍、标准化的腿部平台将降低进入门槛，使新的研究人员能够研究机械腿的控制，明确比较不同的控制方法，并全面推进该领域。最后，从长远来看，该项目产生的改进的假肢设计将使截肢者的生活受益。该项目的总体研究目标是1)确定一种低成本、高性能、开放源代码的机器人膝关节和脚踝系统的机电设计；2)了解如何将单独的假肢控制策略组合起来使截肢者步态受益；3)在截肢者实验中评估和比较所产生的控制器。该方法采用了一种新颖的设计方法，采用了可选的串联弹性和高扭矩电机技术，以实现低成本的高性能。开源体系结构中的可互换控制模块允许研究人员在系统的低、中、高级别分别研究新的控制方法，即电机驱动、关节控制和人类意图识别。特别是，基于反射的方法和基于阶段的方法将被实现为中级控制模块，而高级意图识别模块将使机器腿能够在不同的用户活动之间自动切换。在所有情况下，将新的机器腿与这些算法一起使用将使测试能够在真实世界的场景中进行，而不是局限于实验室。该项目的结果将降低进行研究的门槛，并使不同的控制方法与标准化的LEG硬件进行公平的比较。最后，拟议的工作将通过培训、外展和传播影响学生和社区。

项目成果

Toward Phase-Variable Control of Sit-to-Stand Motion with a Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthesis.

• DOI: 10.1109/ccta48906.2021.9658844
• 发表时间: 2021-08
• 期刊: Control Technology and Applications. Control Technology and Applications
• 作者: Raz D;Bolívar-Nieto E;Ozay N;Gregg RD
• 通讯作者: Gregg RD

A Phase Variable Approach for Improved Rhythmic and Non-Rhythmic Control of a Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthesis

• DOI: 10.1109/access.2019.2933614
• 发表时间: 2019-01-01
• 期刊: IEEE ACCESS
• 影响因子: 3.9
• 作者: Rezazadeh, Siavash;Quintero, David;Gregg, Robert D.
• 通讯作者: Gregg, Robert D.

Data-Driven Variable Impedance Control of a Powered Knee-Ankle Prosthesis for Adaptive Speed and Incline Walking

• DOI: 10.1109/tro.2022.3226887
• 发表时间: 2023-01-13
• 期刊: IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ROBOTICS
• 影响因子: 7.8
• 作者: Best, T. Kevin;Welker, Cara Gonzalez;Gregg, Robert D.
• 通讯作者: Gregg, Robert D.