CPS: Medium: Integrated control of biological and mechanical power for standing balance and gait stability after paralysis

可穿戴外骨骼是主要的进步之一，有助于减轻脊髓损伤（SCI）的影响，包括身体器官的退行性变化。人工刺激穿戴者的肌肉来移动他或她的四肢，还有维持肌肉组织和改善血液循环的额外好处。在这个项目中开发的外骨骼系统将使用这种“肌肉优先”的方法，并根据需要从电动机获得额外的辅助动力。该项目的主要贡献在于，它将确保人在站立和正常行走速度下的稳定性。结果将是脊髓损伤患者站起来更舒服，走起来更直立，因此，更多地参与社会活动。这对社会的影响将是，脊髓损伤患者将能够更好地工作，参与社会和休闲活动，以及与独立和富有成效的生活方式相关的其他行为。此外，克利夫兰地区的高中生将参与该项目，并学习人类生物力学和工程方法。该项目探讨了如何将网络物理行走系统（CPWS）设计成安全、可靠和有弹性的，尽管存在各种意想不到的干扰，以及如何在各种环境中实现实时动态控制和行为适应。具体来说，CPWS的开发将无缝整合：(1)脊髓损伤（SCI）患者的完整和可兴奋的下运动神经；(2)具有可控锁定/解锁和/或被动阻尼关节的外骨骼；(3)基于需求的联合辅助电源直流电机；(4)持续自动学习提高站立和行走稳定性的计算算法。在这种“肌肉优先”的方法中，功能性神经刺激（FNS）为行走和最大的健康益处提供了大部分的关节扭矩，因此，所需的辅助关节马达可能小而轻。具体目标是1)根据需要帮助用户的肌肉，并通过向我们的CPWS添加小型，低被动电阻的电机/传动对来实现高带宽稳定性控制；2)开发系统估计、机器学习和稳定性控制的计算算法，以帮助SCI用户在使用CPWS站立和行走的同时最大限度地减少上肢的工作量；3)用健全的个体验证系统性能，并使用CPWS站立和行走评估SCI患者上肢复位和平衡控制。

Wearable exoskeletons are one of the primary advancements that help to alleviate the effects of spinal cord injury (SCI) including degenerative changes in organs of the body. Artificially stimulating the wearer's muscles to move his or her limbs has the additional benefit of maintaining musculature and improving circulation. The exoskeleton system developed in this project will use this "muscles first" approach with additional assistive power from electric motors on an as-needed basis. The major contribution of the project is that it will ensure stability of the person during standing and at normal walking speeds. The result will be that persons with SCI will be more comfortable standing and walking more erect and, therefore, be more socially engaged. The societal impact of this will be that persons with SCI will be better able to work and participate in social and leisure activities and in other behaviors associated with independent and productive lifestyles. In addition, Cleveland area high school students will be involved in the project and learn about human biomechanics and engineering methods.This project addresses how cyber physical walking systems (CPWS) can be designed to be safe, secure, and resilient despite a variety of unanticipated disturbances and how real-time dynamic control and behavior adaptation can be achieved in a diversity of environments. Specifically, a CPWS will be developed that seamlessly integrates: (1) a person who has a spinal cord injury (SCI) with intact and excitable lower motor nerves; (2) an exoskeleton with controllably locked/unlocked and/or passively damped joints; (3) DC motors for need-dependent joint power assistance; and (4) computational algorithms that continuously and automatically learn to improve standing and walking stability. In this "muscles first" approach, functional neural stimulation (FNS) provides most of the joint torques for walking and for maximum health benefits and, thus, as-needed assistive joint motors may be small and lightweight. The specific aims are 1) Assist the user's muscles on an as-needed basis and for high-bandwidth stability control by adding small, low passive-resistance motor/transmission pairs to our CPWS; 2) Develop computational algorithms for system estimation, machine learning and stability control for SCI users standing and walking with a CPWS while minimizing upper extremity effort; 3) Verify system performance with able-bodied individuals and assess upper extremity reduction and balance control in individuals with SCI using the CPWS for standing and ambulation.