I-Corps: Mechatronic Back Brace Commercial Development

这项提案中描述的活动将通过进一步开发和最终商业化胸盆矫形器来推动脊柱矫形术领域的发展，这种矫形器可以减少维持躯干屈曲姿势所需的肌肉力量。这项提议的核心是一种新型的胸盆矫形器，它结合了一个闭合控制系统来驱动机电支撑结构，允许佩戴者在各种姿势下保持支撑。这种胸骨盆矫形器的持续发展将整合生物力学和机器人学的知识，并将扩大动力外骨骼(又名。“可穿戴机器人”)，包括精确跟踪脊柱运动(特别是颈椎和腰椎)。该矫形器最初将被开发为外科医生和其他训练有素的专业人员的一种人体工程学支持形式，可以减少这一人群的生产力损失和医疗成本。最终，这种矫形器的新颖功能可以通过创建一种新的矫形器治疗模式来增强一般患者的护理，该模式作为当前矫形器治疗和物理治疗之间的“桥梁疗法”；随着患者的康复，远程临床医生可以无线重新编程矫形器的机械反应(运动范围、机械刚度/阻尼)，在降低支撑的同时逐渐重新引入运动，从而使患者的脊柱活动水平更正常，减少对进一步物理治疗的需求。

The activities described in this proposal will serve to advance the field of spinal orthotics through the further development and eventual commercialization of a thoracopelvic orthosis that reduces the muscle effort required to maintain flexed postures of the trunk. The device at the heart of this proposal is a novel thoracopelvic orthosis which incorporates a closed-loop control system to drive an electromechanical support structure that allows for the wearer to remain supported in a variety of postures. The continued development of this thoracopelvic orthosis will integrate knowledge from both biomechanics and robotics, and will expand the research and development of powered exoskeletons (a.k.a. "wearable robots") to include accurate following of spinal motion (cervical and lumbar, especially). The orthosis will initially be developed as a form of ergonomic support for surgeons and other highly-trained professionals that could reduce lost productivity and medical costs of this population. Eventually, the novel functionality of this orthosis could enhance general patient care through the creation of a new mode of orthotic treatment that serves as a "bridge therapy" between current orthotic treatment physical therapy; as the patient heals, a remote clinician could wirelessly reprogram the orthosis mechanical response (range of motion, mechanical stiffness/damping) that gradually reintroduces motion while lowering support, thus leaving the patient with a more normal level of spinal mobility and reduced need for further physical therapy.