NRI: Small: Control of Powered Segmented Legs for Humanoid & Rehabilitation Robotic

描述(申请人提供)：步态康复机器人的主流控制策略是强制执行在人类运动中观察到的预定义运动模式。虽然这种方法可以在明确定义的环境中恢复人类的稳定行走，但它没有为人-机器人系统配备在自然非结构化环境中区分腿部移动的功能灵巧性。为了克服这一根本限制，这项拟议工作的长期目标是揭示人类腿部跨步态运动的生物力学设计和神经肌肉控制背后的功能原理，并将这些原理转移到动力腿假体和外骨骼的设计和控制中，以恢复或增强需要运动辅助的个人的身体能力。本应用的第一个具体目标是了解大干扰、连续速度变化、步行和跑步组合以及步态转换后主动平衡恢复的关键腿部行为的生物力学和神经肌肉控制。第二个具体目的是演示和验证所提取的原理对电动机械腿的控制和灵巧性的优势。这些目标将通过推导人类运动中神经肌肉控制的理论和计算模型来实现，并通过开发一种机器腿试验台来实现，该试验台复制人类和假肢腿的驱动和动力学，并允许严格表征拟议的腿设计和控制。这项拟议的工作将有助于对人类运动的感觉运动控制进行反向工程，并有可能产生恢复或增强老年人、患者和截肢者身体能力的辅助技术。这两个方向都可以对社会产生广泛的影响，特别是在公共卫生保健方面。该项目直接涉及NICHD关于医疗康复的研究优先事项，以发展提高残疾人健康、生产力、独立性和生活质量所需的科学和技术知识。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The prevailing control strategy in gait rehabilitation robotics is to enforce predefined motion patterns observed In human locomotion. Although this approach can restore steady human walking In well-defined environments, it does not equip the human-robot system with the functional dexterity that distinguishes legged mobility In natural unstructured environments. To overcome this fundamental limitation, the longterm objectives of the proposed work are to uncover the functional principles behind the biomechanical design and neuromuscular control of human legs In locomotion across gaits, and to transfer these principles to the design and control of powered leg prostheses and exoskeletons that restore or enhance the physical capabilities of Individuals who need locomotion assistance. The first specific aim In this application is to understand the biomechanics and neuromuscular control of the key leg behaviors of active balance recovery after large disturbances, continuous speed changes, combined walking and running, and gait transitions. The second specific aim Is to demonstrate and verify the advantages of the extracted principles to the control and dexterity of powered robotic legs. These aims will be addressed by deriving theoretical and computational models of neuromuscular control In human locomotion, and by developing a robotic leg testbed that replicates the actuation and dynamics of human and prosthetic legs and allows to rigorously characterize proposed leg designs and controls. The proposed work will help to reverse-engineer the sensorimotor control of human locomotion and has the potential to result In assistive technology that restores or enhances the physical capabilities of elderly people, patients, and amputees. Both directions can create a broad Impact on society, with particular benefits in public health care. The project directly relates to the NICHD research priority on medical rehabilitation for developing the scientific and technical knowledge needed to enhance health, productivity, Independence, and quality-of-life for people with disabilities.