Enhancing Voluntary Motion in Broad Patient Populations With Modular Powered Orthoses Renewal
University of Michigan
Summary
The overall goal of this project is to establish a novel design and control paradigm for modular, partial-assist powered orthoses (exoskeletons) to enhance voluntary lower-limb motion and manage pain in broad patient populations. Building upon a previous study period that addressed weakness from advanced age or muscle fatigue, this current period extends the technology to novel powered unloader orthoses designed to manage knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain. The investigators hypothesize that by providing 15-30% of biological joint torque, these motorized devices can reduce muscular contributions to painful loads on the joint's surfaces during activities of daily living (ADLs). The project aims to develop a task-agnostic, neural network-based controller and establish the feasibility of reducing knee pain and muscle effort in individuals with multi-compartment knee osteoarthritis.
Description
The overall goal of this project is to develop modular, lower-limb, powered orthoses that fit to user-specific joints and control torque in a manner that enhances voluntary motion and mitigates musculoskeletal pain. Commercial exoskeletons typically use actuation and control methods that force the human user to follow specific, rigid gait patterns. This has prevented emerging wearable robotics from effectively addressing the weakness and pain associated with mild to moderate impairments, such as knee osteoarthritis (OA). These populations require partial, task-agnostic assistance that works ha…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–85 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: Inclusion criteria for able-bodied, young participants will be: * Aged between 18 to 65 years * Weigh less than 300 lbs (due to challenges in bracing heavier participants) * BMI \< 40 (due to challenges in bracing heavier participants) Inclusion criteria for knee osteoarthritis participants will be: * Aged between 30 to 85 years * Medical diagnosis of patellofemoral and tibiofemoral osteoarthritis * Patient reported pain ≥ 4 out of 10 during activities of daily life (to avoid floor effects) * Weigh less than 300 lbs (due to challenges in bracing heavier participants) *…
Interventions
- DeviceModular powered orthosis
This study will investigate modular, lower-limb, powered orthoses that fit to user-specific weakened joints and control force/torque in a manner that enhances voluntary motion in broad patient populations. The central hypothesis is that high-torque, low-inertia motor systems controlled with energetic objectives will enable modular powered orthoses to partially assist the joints. High-torque electric motors combined with minimal transmissions can be freely rotated (i.e., backdriven) by human joints, allowing the use of an emerging torque control method called energy shaping to reduce the perceived weight/inertia of the body during any motion. By mounting these modular actuators to commercial orthoses, this technology will be easily prescribed/configured by clinicians.
Location
- Rehab LabAnn Arbor, Michigan