Tendon Actuators for Investigation of Foot Disorders

描述（由申请人提供）：拟定肌腱致动器的开发和临床评价，该致动器将匹配负责控制足部运动的肌肉的力和运动特征。肌腱驱动器将连接到尸体脚肌腱，并允许生物力学研究人员操纵脚。最终，由八个肌腱致动器阵列组成的肌腱致动器系统将使足部能够在所有自由度上受到控制，以了解各种足部病变的病因。此外，肌腱致动器将被设计为与克利夫兰临床基金会（CCF）的肌肉骨骼模拟器集成，使模拟器能够精确地模拟步态运动学和足部下侧的应力分布。最终，该系统将适用于研究人体运动学和病理学在其他解剖区域，如手腕，肩膀，脊柱和膝盖。 最初，该计划将专注于跟腱致动器的开发，该致动器能够精确地跟踪规定的苛刻的力分布，伴随着潜在的苛刻的速度，加速度，行程和带宽要求。在Foster-Miller完成并测试肌腱致动器原型后，将其连接到尸体上，并在CCF的生物力学实验室进行测试。将通过将跟腱连接到肌腱致动器并将足部胫骨和腓骨安装到MTS系统力致动器来操纵尸体足部。后续第二阶段将包括脚肌腱致动器系统（由八个肌腱致动器组成的完整阵列）与尸体脚和肌肉骨骼模拟器的集成，以允许在所有自由度上控制尸体脚。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The development and clinical evaluation of a tendon actuator is proposed that will match the force and motion characteristics of muscles responsible for controlling foot motion. The tendon actuator will attach to a cadaver foot tendon and will allow biomechanics researchers to manipulate the foot. Ultimately, a tendon actuator system, consisting of an array of eight tendon actuators, will enable the foot to be controlled in all degrees of freedom, in order to understand the etiology of a wide range of foot pathologies. In addition, the tendon actuator will be designed to integrate with the musculoskeletal simulator at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF), making it possible for the simulator to precisely mimic both gait kinematics and the stress distribution present on the underside of the foot. Eventually this system will be adapted to investigate human kinematics and pathologies in additional anatomic regions such as the wrist, shoulder, spine and knee. Initially, the program will focus on development of an Achilles tendon actuator capable of precisely tracking a prescribed demanding force profile accompanied by potentially demanding velocity, acceleration, travel and bandwidth requirements. After completion and test of a tendon actuator prototype at Foster-Miller, it will be attached to a cadaver and tested at the Biomechanics laboratory at CCF. The cadaver foot will be manipulated by attaching the Achilles tendon to the tendon actuator and mounting the tibia and fibula of the foot to an MTS system force actuator. A follow-on Phase II will include integration of a foot tendon actuator system (consisting of a full array of eight tendon actuators) with a cadaver foot and the musculoskeletal simulator to allow control of the cadaver foot in all degrees of freedom.