CAREER: Biomechanics and Energetics of Human Locomotion With Powered Exoskeletons

[0347479] ferris这个为期五年的职业发展项目将通过动力下肢外骨骼研究人类运动的生物力学和能量学。密歇根大学的人类神经力学实验室已经开发出碳纤维下肢外骨骼，可以在步行和跑步时舒适地为脚踝、膝盖和臀部提供主动扭矩辅助。附着在碳纤维外壳上的人造气动肌肉提供高功率输出，同时最大限度地减少外骨骼重量。来自生物肌肉的肌电信号以生理上适当的方式控制人造肌肉的受力。尽管外骨骼由于需要大量的压缩空气而限制在实验室使用，但它们是研究人类对动力运动辅助的反应的理想选择。研究计划的目的是量化动力辅助对步行和跑步能量学的影响。研究人员将测量在一定速度和负荷下行走和跑步时脚踝、膝盖和臀部的外部动力辅助的代谢效率。该结果将为确定运动代谢成本的机械因素提供重要的见解，并为未来下肢外骨骼的创造提供急需的指导。对脚踝、膝盖和臀部增加外力的生物力学和代谢益处将被量化。这些数据将有助于执行驱动器和外骨骼设计的成本效益分析，用于步态康复和人类性能增强。该教育计划的目标是利用外骨骼研究将基于问题的发现学习引入学生为健康科学事业做准备的课程。该计划包括：a)创建一门步态生物力学高级课程，其中包括与人体增强和康复外骨骼相关的实践实验和测试；b)招募和培训女性和少数族裔本科生参加人类神经力学实验室的外骨骼研究项目；c)创建一个关于机器人外骨骼的交互式网页，可作为中学和本科生的教育资源。

0347479FerrisThis five-year CAREER Development project will examine the biomechanics and energetics of human locomotion with powered lower limb exoskeletons. The Human Neuromechanics Laboratory at The University of Michigan has developed carbon fiber lower limb exoskeletons that can comfortably supply active torque assistance at the ankle, knee, and hip during walking and running. Artificial pneumatic muscles attached to a carbon fiber shell provide high power outputs while minimizing exoskeleton weight. Myoelectrical signals from biological muscles control force in the artificial muscles in a physiologically appropriate manner. Although the exoskeletons are limited to laboratory use because they require a large source of compressed air, they are ideal for studying human responses to powered locomotor assistance. The objective of the research plan is to quantify the effects of powered assistance on the energetics of walking and running. The investigators will measure the metabolic efficiency of external power assistance at the ankle, knee, and hip during walking and running over a range of speeds and added loads. The results will provide important insight into the mechanical factors that determine the metabolic cost of locomotion and much needed guidance for creation of future lower limb exoskeletons. The biomechanical and metabolic benefit of adding external power to the ankle vs. knee vs. hip will be quantified. These data will be instrumental in performing cost-benefit analyses of actuator and exoskeleton design for gait rehabilitation and human performance augmentation. The objective of the educational plan is to use exoskeleton research to introduce problem-based discovery learning into the curriculum of students preparing for health science careers. The plan includes: a) creating an upper division course on gait biomechanics that incorporates hands-on experimentation and testing related to exoskeletons for human augmentation and rehabilitation, b) recruiting and training female and minority undergraduate students for exoskeleton research projects in the Human Neuromechanics Laboratory, and c) creating an interactive web page on robotic exoskeletons that can be used as an educational resource for secondary and undergraduate students.