SBIR Phase I: Advanced Controlled-Impedance Transfemoral Knee/Ankle Prosthesis

这一小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在开发一种微处理器控制的经股骨膝关节/踝关节假体。 该系统将包括：（1）自适应摆动阶段阻抗（阻力）;（2）在站立阶段期间的顺应性屈曲的控制;（3）膝/脚阻抗的肌电控制;以及（4）膝和脚运动的协调。 这种经股骨的膝/踝关节假体将允许假体使用者更平稳、稳定地行走和跑步，并且更省力。 要实现这一目标，必须有两项重要的发展。 第一个是改进的实验膝盖和脚的机制，这是以前已经开发的，第二个是一个自适应控制系统的发展，这将命令这些机制表现出适当的阻抗。 在美国有超过80，000名经股动脉假体使用者，估计每年有20，000个经股动脉假体的市场。 考虑到所有工业国家，全球市场是这个数字的几倍。 美国政府主办的研讨会将以下内容列为改进膝关节系统的优先目标：站立阶段稳定性、不同的步行节奏和能量节约。 其他制造商已经展示了使用液压膝关节阻力的电子控制的可行性，并且C形腿（由德国的Otto Bock制造）控制站立阶段期间的屈曲阻抗。 然而，所有可用的膝关节都缺乏顺应性姿势和协调的膝关节/踝关节运动，这是本项目将开发的。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to develop a microprocessor controlled transfemoral knee/ankle prosthesis. This system will include: (1) adaptive swing phase impedance (resistance); (2) control of compliant flexion during stance phase; (3) myoelectric control of knee/foot impedances; and, (4) coordination of knee and foot motion. This transfemoral knee/ankle prosthesis would allow prosthesis users to walk and run more smoothly, stably, and with less effort. Two important developments are necessary for the realization of this objective. The first is the refinement of experimental knee and foot mechanisms, which have previously been developed and the second is the development of an adaptive control system, which will command these mechanisms to exhibit appropriate impedances. There are over 80,000 transfemoral prosthesis users in the United States and there is an estimated a market for 20,000 transfemoral prostheses each year. Considering all industrial nations, the worldwide market is several times that figure. U.S. government sponsored workshops have cited .the following as high priority goals for improved knee systems: stance phase stability, varying walking cadences, and energy conservation. Other manufacturers have shown the feasibility of using electronic control of hydraulic knee resistance, and the C-leg (by Otto Bock, of Germany) controls flexion impedance during stance phase. However all the available knees lack compliant stance and coordinated knee/ankle motion, which this project will develop.