Terrain Imaging and Adaptive Control of Exoskeletons

项目摘要/摘要 提出了一种系统，通过创新的方法来增强外骨骼的能力、安全性和可达性 3D成像和自适应控制。意义：医学外骨骼是一个令人兴奋的新兴领域 世界各地270多个康复中心都有这项技术。临床证据表明 外骨骼康复可以改善外骨骼外的功能平衡 运动不完全性脊髓损伤可提高中风康复者的步行距离和步速 出院与入院的对比。虽然外骨骼是已经成熟的复杂系统 多年来，它们具有显著的临床实用价值，但仍主要局限于在 在理疗师的帮助下，横跨水平地板的直线时尚。假设：我们的建议旨在 为外骨骼提供穿越不平坦地形的能力，包括内部和内部的斜坡和楼梯 在临床环境之外和在障碍存在的情况下。该系统将把成像信息与 西装的运动学信息和地面接触传感，以提供外骨骼的控制系统和 具有所需反馈以持续调整其平衡和步态参数以接近地面的致动器 表面，动态调整坡度和台阶，避免绊倒，或通知用户进一步前进 移动是不安全的或无法实现的。具体目标：在第二阶段，IDL及其合作者将：(1)开发 可用于生产的地形传感和执行器硬件和固件，(2)整合和集成测试 具有外骨骼控制系统的系统，以及(3)对系统进行人体研究和评估。

Project Summary/Abstract Proposed is a system to enhance the capabilities, safety, and accessibility of exoskeletons through innovative 3D imaging and adaptive control. Significance: Medical exoskeletons are an exciting and emerging technology that can be found at over 270 rehabilitation centers around the world. Clinical evidence has shown that rehabilitation with exoskeletons can improve functional balance outside of the exoskeleton in people with motor incomplete SCI and can improve walking distance and gait speed for people recovering from a stroke at discharge compared to admission. While exoskeletons are sophisticated systems that have matured significantly and demonstrated clinical utility over the years, they are still primarily restricted to ambulating in a straight-line fashion across level flooring while aided by a physical therapist. Hypothesis: Our proposal aims to provide exoskeletons with the ability to traverse uneven terrain including slopes and staircases inside and outside of clinical settings and in the presence of obstacles. The system will fuse imaging information with the suit’s kinematic information and ground contact sensing to provide the exoskeleton’s control system and actuators with the required feedback to continuously adapt its balance and gait parameters to approach ground surfaces, dynamically adjusting to slopes & steps, avoiding tripping, or notifying the user that further forward movement is unsafe or unachievable. Specific Aims: In Phase II, IDL and its collaborators will: (1) Develop production-ready terrain sensing and actuator hardware and firmware, (2) Incorporate and integration test the system with an exoskeleton control system, and (3) Perform a human study and evaluation of the system.