Intelligent human-assistive devices, sensors, and systems

许多加拿大人有行动障碍，影响他们的生活质量。这项研究旨在开发新的辅助设备，为社区中的残疾人和老年人提供更大的功能，移动性和独立性。一个新的支具，锁定在膝盖的腿，以支持身体的重量和解锁，使腿弯曲和摆动向前将完善，以确保广泛接受支具用户。液压膝关节，也抵制膝盖弯曲，以支持腿将优化，使不同的步行速度。客观地评估行走稳定性的方法在移动性受到影响的人的康复评估中是重要的。正在开发一种新的动态行走稳定性分析工具，以提供客观的临床稳定性测量，可由临床医生在实验室外的患者护理点应用。一个支具，稳定踝足，并协助恢复功能，将开发抵抗老年人，残疾人和腿部受伤跌倒。该设备将减少疲劳，并为用户带来更积极的生活方式，更大的安全性，独立性和生活质量。正在开发的膝关节伸展辅助装置将允许爬楼梯，从坐着的地方站起来，走上斜坡，走上路边，以提高流动性和独立性。我们的3D表面形状测量系统将能够适应各种影响测量精度的条件，以广泛应用于包括体型测量在内的众多应用。上述所有技术的商业化将通过制造/销售和研究再投资给加拿大带来经济利益。

Many Canadians have a mobility impairment that affects their quality of life. This research aims to develop new assistive devices that provide greater functionality, mobility, and independence for disabled and elderly in the community. A new brace that locks at the knee for the leg to support body weight and unlocks to permit the leg to flex and swing forward will be refined to ensure wide acceptance by brace users. A hydraulic knee joint that also resists knee flexion to support the leg will be optimized to enable varied walking speeds. A method of objectively assessing walking stability is important in the rehabilitation assessment of persons where mobility is affected. A new dynamic walking stability analysis tool is being developed to provide objective clinical stability measurement that can be applied by clinicians at the point of patient care outside a lab. A brace that stabilizes the ankle-foot and assists in restoring function will be developed to resist falling in elderly, disabled, and leg injured. The device would reduce fatigue, and lead to a more active lifestyle, greater safety, independence, and quality of life for the user. A knee extension assist under development would permit stair climbing, standing from seated, walking up inclines, and stepping up onto curbs, for improved mobility and independence. Our 3D surface-shape measurement systems will be made adaptive to a variety of conditions that affect measurement accuracy to permit wide use in numerous applications including body shape measurement. Commercialization of all of the above technologies would result in economic benefits to Canada through manufacturing/distribution and reinvestment in research.