Testing and Refinement of a Hydraulic Adaptable Ankle-Foot Prosthesis

描述(由申请人提供)： 本项目的目的是测试和改进一种液压自适应脚踝-脚系统，该系统旨在适应步行每一步的不同地形。我们建议在明尼阿波利斯VA医疗保健系统进行台式测试和人体受试者测试，以向一个合作小组提供反馈。我们的合作者已经为他们在项目中的那部分获得了资金。三名单侧胫骨截肢的退伍军人将被招募来测试这一适应性踝足系统，为期两年。测试将包括在运动实验室中进行全面的步态分析，以确定系统在五个步态中的每一个上保持一致功能的能力 曲面坡度。此外，受试者将在不断变化的地形上行走(上下独立的坡道)，而iPecs和运动分析系统将收集所需的数据，以检查脚踝扭矩与脚踝角度特性的关系。我们假设扭矩与角度的关系将保持类似的斜率，但对于上坡行走将转向背屈，对于下坡行走将转向足屈以成功适应部件。适应预计将发生在新表面上的第一步。我们还将检查踝关节屈曲曲线，特别是在摆动早期，踝关节恢复到中性或轻微背屈位置所需的时间。受试者将重复所有测试，以不可适应的脚踝-足部系统作为控制条件。对于不能适应的踝足系统，我们不希望看到踝关节扭矩随踝角曲线的变化。台架测试和人体试验的结果将被用来为未来的原型提出改进的领域。我们的团队还将协助改变新原型的设计和制造。如果我们能够在这个项目阶段的早期开发出一个有用的原型，我们将开始计划疲劳 脚踝系统的测试，长期的患者测试，以及将技术转让给假肢公司。 公共卫生相关性： 这个试点项目直接适用于退伍军人病患护理任务，因为它将测试和改进液压脚踝-脚系统，该系统旨在适应步行每一步的不同地形。大多数假肢在平坦的地形上对齐使用，不适应不同的斜坡，导致使用者在这些斜坡上行走时不稳定和不适。少数几个声称能够适应的系统价格昂贵，适应速度慢，或者没有因不同斜坡而改变的机械特性。与非适应性系统相比，建议的设备将在没有电机或电池的情况下进行适应，可能会在不同的地形上行走时为用户提供更多信心，增加他们参与社交活动的程度，并提高他们的生活质量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this project is to test and refine a hydraulic adaptable ankle-foot system designed to adapt to different terrain on every step of walking. We propose to conduct bench testing and human subjects testing at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System to provide feedback to a collaborative group. Our collaborators are already funded for their part of the project. Three veterans having unilateral transtibial amputation will be recruited to test the adaptable ankle-foot system over the two year period. Testing will include full gait analyses in a motion laboratory to establish the system's ability to maintain consistent function on each of five surface slopes. Additionally, subjects will walk over changing terrain (up and down a free-standing ramp) while the iPecs and motion analysis system collect data needed to examine the ankle torque versus ankle angle characteristics. We hypothesize that the torque versus angle relationship will maintain a similar slope, but will shift toward dorsiflexion for uphill walking ad toward plantarflexion for downhill walking for successfully adapting components. The adaptations are expected to occur on the first step on a new surface. We will also examine the ankle flexion curve, particularly the time needed for the ankle to return to neutral or slightly dorsiflexed position in early swing phase. Subjects will repeat all tests with a non-adaptable ankle-foot system as a control condition. We do not expect to see shifts in the ankle torque versus ankle angle curves for the non-adaptable ankle-foot systems. Findings of bench testing and human subjects testing will be used to suggest areas of improvement for future prototypes. Our group will also assist in changes to the design and manufacturing of new prototypes. If we are able to develop a useful prototype early in this project period, we will begin planning fatigue testing of the ankle-foot system, long term patient testing, and technology transfer to a prosthetics company. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This pilot project is directly applicable to the VA Patient Care Mission in that it will test and improve a hydraulic ankle-foot system designed to adapt to different terrain on every step of walking. Most prosthetic feet are aligned for use on level terrain and do not adapt to different slopes, causing instabilities and discomfort to their users when walking on these slopes. The few systems that do claim to adapt are expensive and slow to adapt or do not have mechanical properties that change for different slopes. The proposed device will adapt without motors or batteries, potentially providing more confidence to the user when walking on varying terrain compared with non-adaptable systems, increasing their engagement in social activities and improving their quality of life.