Portable, robotic footwear for real-time control of foot-ground stiffness

项目总结/摘要 运动和平衡功能障碍对独立性和生活质量有有害影响， 由一系列神经和肌肉骨骼疾病以及正常衰老引起。虽然现有 治疗方法可以对抗一些功能障碍，一些病理是持久的，如负重 不对称和适应性降低。这些病理学是由物理环境的动力学强烈定义的。 脚和地面之间的相互作用。因此，迫切需要新的工具来研究，并最终 帮助或重新训练人类如何管理与地面的物理互动。建议的目标 研究是为了使新的研究进入运动学习和人类适应，并提供一个可访问的， 通过开发便携式机器人鞋， 可以实时修改脚-地面界面处的刚度。本文的主要贡献包括：1） 创造技术能力，改变现实世界和实验室中的脚-地面相互作用动力学 2）使研究，辅助和重新训练人类步态和平衡的新方法成为可能，3）显著 通过量化人类对足部-地面相互作用长期变化的适应性来推进科学知识 动力学，一个研究不足的领域，和4）通过提供便携式工具来改善临床实践， 使新的治疗方法、预防性干预措施和早期诊断广泛普及。拟议研究 是创新的，因为它将采用跨学科的方法，应用神经运动控制的概念， 生物力学和机器人技术，以开发一种新的机器人设备的研究，援助和康复。这 该提案涉及以下具体目标： 目标1：设计、制造和评估便携式机器人鞋，可以主动调节足部-地面 刚度，并独立测量每只脚的地面反作用力。 我们将设计，制造和验证机器人鞋与主动机制，以调节脚地面 界面刚度实时。刚度控制系统和车载传感器将被严格评估， 有效性和可靠性与实验室测试沿着与健康参与者进行全身 平衡和行走任务，而穿着设备。人体测试也将评估感知的安全性， 舒适性和系统的整体可用性。 目的2：探索机器人鞋不对称地降低足部-地面刚度对 站立和行走时的人类运动行为。 将对健康参与者进行额外的试点研究，以评估人类运动行为 响应于主动足部-地面刚度调制的变化。结果将告知潜在的效用， 用于基础和临床研究应用的机器人鞋，以及用于理解人类的模型的开发 运动和平衡的神经运动控制。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Locomotor and balance dysfunction, which have a pernicious effect on independence and quality of life, are caused by of a broad range of neural and musculoskeletal disorders as well as normal aging. While existing treatment methods can counter some dysfunctions, some pathologies are persistent, such as weight-bearing asymmetry and reduced adaptability. These pathologies are strongly defined by the dynamics of the physical interaction between the feet and the ground. Thus, there is a critical need for novel tools to study, and ultimately assist or re-train, how humans manage their physical interaction with the ground. The objective of the proposed research is to enable new research into motor learning and human adaptation and provide an accessible, effective vehicle for gait and balance rehabilitation through the development of portable robotic footwear which can modify stiffness at the foot-ground interface in real-time. The significant contributions of this work include: 1) creating the technical capability to change foot-ground interaction dynamics in both real-world and laboratory settings, 2) enabling new methods of studying, assisting, and re-training human gait and balace, 3) significantly advancing scientific knowledge by quantifying human adaptation to long-term changes in foot-ground interaction dynamics, an understudied area of research, and 4) improving clinical practice by providing a portable tool to make new treatments, preventative interventions, and early diagnoses widely accessible. The proposed research is innovative because it will employ a transdisciplinary approach, applying concepts from neuromotor control, biomechanics, and robotics, to develop a novel robotic device for research, assistance, and rehabilitation. This proposal addresses the following specific aims: Aim 1: Design, build and evaluate portable, robotic footwear that can actively modulate foot-ground stiffness and measure the ground reaction forces of each foot independently. We will design, fabricate, and validate robotic footwear with an active mechanism to modulate foot-ground interface stiffness in real-time. The stiffness control system and onboard sensors will be rigorously evaluated for validity and reliability with bench testing along with a pilot study with healthy participants performing whole-body balance and walking tasks while wearing the device. Human testing will also evaluate the perceived safety, comfort, and overall usability of the system. Aim 2: Explore the effect of asymmetrically reducing foot-ground stiffness with the robotic footwear on human motor behavior during standing and walking. An additional pilot study will be conducted with healthy participants to assess how human motor behavior changes in response to active foot-ground stiffness modulation. Results will inform the potential utility of the robotic footwear for basic and clinical research applications and the development of models to understand human neuromotor control of locomotion and balance.