BRIGE: Exploration of Chemo-Muscle Actuation in Active Above-Knee Prostheses

主要研究者：沈向荣提案编号：1125783本BRIGE提案中的研究探索了化学肌肉驱动作为能量主动式膝上（AK）假体的新型驱动方法。通过这种新型致动方法提供的高性能，预期所得到的主动AK假体将产生足够的功率输出，以在能量要求高的模式（例如上坡行走和爬楼梯）中恢复机车功能。这项研究将为PI的长期研究目标奠定坚实的基础，即创造一种实用的动力膝踝AK假体，其功能、重量和尺寸与生物下肢相当。 借着机器人义肢的研究，PI还将以“用机器人帮助残疾人！“这些活动将为PI的教育目标奠定基础，即在日益多样化的学生群体中扩大工程研究和教育的参与，利用生物医学机器人技术作为创新的教育媒体。智力优势在AK假肢领域，大多数最先进的设备都是被动的。无法提供关节动力显著削弱了他们恢复失去的肢体功能的能力。为了克服这一限制，将引入一种新的化学肌肉驱动方法。该驱动系统能够在紧凑的封装内实现高功率输出和长持续时间的操作。 两个关键要素包括：（1）高能量密度供应，通过一种特殊类型的液体燃料，即单元推进剂实现（例如过氧化氢），其在与某些催化材料接触时瞬间分解，并产生用于气动致动的大量气体混合物;以及（2）高功率密度致动器，即气动人工肌肉，其模仿生物肌肉的功能机制，并且以轻质柔性结构提供大功率输出。在提供高驱动性能的同时，Chemo-Muscle还为假肢使用提供了足够的安全性和耐久性，利用了单组元推进剂固有的安全性，并结合了适当的设计措施。为了探索化学肌肉驱动在主动AK假体中的应用，拟议的两年计划预计将实现三个目标，包括：（1）收集用户输入并创建动力AK假体的设计指南;（2）为化学-肌肉驱动的AK假体建立灵活紧凑的驱动结构，并开发出一个栓系假肢原型（带动力膝关节和踝关节）进行性能评估;（3）开发一种鲁棒的控制算法，以产生平滑和自然的步行步态。更广泛的影响目前，美国有超过357，000名膝上截肢者，预计到2050年这个数字将翻一番。拟议的研究有可能通过显着提高这些截肢者的流动性和改善他们的生活质量来造福社会。此外，PI将利用生物医学机器人的互动性，以“用机器人帮助残疾人！（一）以“残疾人为残疾人开展的残疾人研究“为理念，招募、保留和指导残疾学生从事机器人假肢研究。“（2）通过各种途径从代表性不足的群体中招募研究生研究人员。(3)将本科生研究与科学博物馆机械臂展览的开发相结合。(4)开发一个新的研究生水平的课程“生物医学机器人。“（5）通过机器人活动促进初中/高中的科学和工程，重点是附近萨姆特县的非裔美国学生，该县是全国收入最低的学区之一，非裔美国人入学率为99%。

PI: Shen, XiangrongProposal Number: 1125783The research in this BRIGE proposal explores Chemo-Muscle actuation as a novel actuation approach for energetically-active above-knee (AK) prostheses. With the high performance provided by this novel actuation approach, the resulting active AK prosthesis is expected to generate sufficient power output to restore the locomotive functions in energetically-demanding modes (such as upslope walking and stair climbing). This research will lay a solid foundation for the PI's long-term research goal of creating a practical powered-knee-and-ankle AK prosthesis with comparable functionality, weight, and size as biological lower limbs. Leveraging the research in robotic prosthetics, the PI will also create a series of educational activities with the common theme of "Helping Disabled Persons with Robotics!" These activities will develop a basis for the PI's educational goal of broadening the participation in engineering research and education among an increasingly diverse student population, leveraging the biomedical robotics as an innovative educational media.INTELLECTUAL MERITIn the area of AK prosthetics, the majority of state-of-the-art devices are energetically passive. The inability to deliver joint power significantly impairs their ability of restoring lost limb functions. To overcome this limitation, a novel Chemo-Muscle actuation approach will be introduced. This actuation system enables high power output and long duration of operation within a compact package. Two key elements are incorporated, including: (1) a high-energy-density supply, achieved through a special type of liquid fuel, namely monopropellant (e.g. hydrogen peroxide), which decomposes instantaneously upon the contact with certain catalytic materials and generates a large volume of gaseous mixture for pneumatic actuation; and (2) a high-power-density actuator, namely pneumatic artificial muscle, which emulates the functioning mechanism of biological muscles and provides a large power output with a light-weight flexible structure. While providing high actuation performance, Chemo-Muscle also provides adequate safety and endurance features for prosthetic use, leveraging the inherently safe nature of monopropellant in combination with proper design measures. To explore the application of Chemo-Muscle actuation in active AK prostheses, the proposed two-year plan is expected to achieve three objectives, including: (1) Collect user inputs and create a design guideline for powered AK prostheses; (2) Establish a flexible and compact actuation structure for Chemo-Muscle actuated AK prostheses, and develop a tethered prosthesis prototype (with powered knee and ankle joints) for performance evaluation; (3) Develop a robust control algorithm to generate a smooth and natural walking gait.BROADER IMPACTSCurrently, there are more than 357,000 above-knee amputees in the U.S., and this number is expected to double by 2050. The proposed research has the potential to benefit society by significantly enhancing these amputees' mobility and improving their life quality. Furthermore, leveraging the interactive nature of biomedical robotics, the PI will create a series of educational activities with the common theme of "Helping Disabled Persons with Robotics!" (1) Recruiting, retaining and mentoring disabled students for robotic prosthetics research, with the notion of "Disability-related research conducted by disabled persons for disabled persons." (2) Recruiting graduate student researchers from underrepresented groups through a variety of routes. (3) Integrating undergraduate research with the development of a robotic arm exhibit for a science museum. (4) Developing a new graduate-level course "Biomedical Robotics." (5) Promoting science and engineering in middle/high schools with robotic activities, with the emphasis on the African American students in the nearby Sumter County, one of the lowest-income school districts in the nation with 99% African American enrollment.