SBIR Phase I: The Mobil-Aider: A transformative device to assess joint mobility

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种骨科设备来量化关节的灵活性。每年发生数百万例肌肉骨骼损伤，导致疼痛、肿胀和关节活动受限。不幸的是，目前的关节活动度和韧带评估依赖于临床医生。手感的定性评价关节的，常导致治疗无效的未能提供适当的治疗会延迟运动的恢复，抑制先前功能的恢复，并导致工资损失和医疗费用增加。本提案的目标是开发一种革命性的设备，以定量评估肩关节、肘关节、手腕、膝盖和脚踝的关节活动性。其目的是将目前以定性方式执行的标准化临床技术转变为客观和定量评估模式。这个装置不仅是第一个进入市场的产品，它还将使我们能够开始发展关节活动技术的科学。此外，该设备将通过客观的反馈来强化新兴专业人士的教育体验。为每位患者提供一致的干预措施。因此，该装置将利用技术来提高骨科的实践。该SBIR一期项目建议开发一种定量测量关节运动的产品。目前，关节活动度和韧带评估是定性的（即临床医生评估感觉）。指关节)。然而，治疗必须精确，以使先前的功能恢复。不适当的治疗会延迟运动的恢复，抑制先前功能的恢复，并导致工资损失和医疗费用的增加。所提出的装置的目标是能够精确、简单和廉价地测量多个关节的两个关节表面之间的线性平移幅度。在初步测试中，我们精确地测量了毫米级的运动。我们现在建议开发一种小巧便携的原型机，它代表了？最适合?肩部、肘部、手腕、膝盖和脚踝的轮廓。使用为每个关节设计的可连接燕尾接口将允许在各种关节上使用相同的设备，并允许设备在患者之间连接。S关节和临床医生？使标准化协议的开发成为可能。线性翻译的即时显示将通过LED显示。这种实时反馈将影响临床决策，并支持有效治疗技术的一致性。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop an orthopedic device to quantify joint mobility. Millions of musculoskeletal injuries occur each year, which results in pain, swelling, and limitations in joint movement. Unfortunately, current joint mobility and ligament assessments are dependent on the clinician?s qualitative evaluation of the ?feel? of a joint, which often results in ineffective treatment. Failure to provide proper treatment delays restoration of motion, inhibits the return of prior function, and leads to lost wages and increased healthcare costs. The goal of this proposal is to develop a transformative device to quantitatively assess joint mobility of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, and ankle. The aim is to take standardized clinical techniques currently performed in a qualitative manner to that of an objective and quantitative mode of assessment. Not only will this device be a first to market product, it will allow us to begin to develop the science of joint mobilization techniques. In addition, the device will accentuate the educational experience for emerging professionals via objective feedback to ?learn? to deliver consistent interventions to each patient. Thus, this device will capitalize on technology to enhance the practice of orthopedics.This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a product to quantitatively measure joint movement. Currently, joint mobility and ligament assessments are performed qualitatively (i.e., clinician evaluates the ?feel? of a joint). However, treatments must be precise to enable the return of prior function. Inappropriate treatment can delay restoration of motion, inhibit the return of prior function, and lead to lost wages and increased healthcare costs. The goal of the proposed device is to enable accurate, simple, and inexpensive measurement of the magnitude of linear translation between two joint surfaces of multiple joints. In preliminary testing, we accurately measured millimeters of motion. We now propose to develop a compact, portable prototype that represents the ?best fit? contours for the shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, and ankle. The use of attachable dovetail interfaces designed for each joint will allow the use of the same device on a variety of joints and permit the device to be interfaced between the patient?s joint and the clinician?s hand to enable the development of standardized protocols. An immediate display of the linear translation will appear via LED. This real-time feedback will impact clinical decision-making and support consistency of techniques for efficacious treatments.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.