Tendon Actuators for Investigation of Foot Disorders

描述（由申请人提供）：提出肌腱致动器的开发和临床评估，该致动器将匹配负责控制足部运动的肌肉的力量和运动特征。肌腱致动器将附着在尸体的脚肌腱上，使生物力学研究人员能够操纵脚。最终，由8个肌腱致动器组成的肌腱致动器系统将使足部在所有自由度上得到控制，以便了解各种足部病变的病因。此外，肌腱驱动器将被设计成与克利夫兰诊所基金会（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脚底的应力分布。最终，该系统将适用于研究人体的运动学和病理在其他解剖区域，如手腕，肩膀，脊柱和膝盖。

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.