По данным, опубликованным на днях группой Хью Херра (Hugh Herr), созданный ими прототип экзоскелета способен облегчить на 80% вес 36-килограммового рюкзака.Правда, с одним серьезным минусом: пока что модель затрудняет походку человека.

(далее…)

Категория: MIT Hugh Herr | Нет комментариев »

Locomotor training using body weight support on a treadmill and manual assistance is a promising rehabilitation technique following neurological injuries, such as spinal cord injury (SCI) and stroke. Previous robots that automate this technique impose constraints on naturalistic walking due to their kinematic structure, and are typically operated in a stiff mode, limiting the ability of the patient or human trainer to influence the stepping pattern.We developed a pneumatic gait training robot that allows for a full range of natural motion of the legs and pelvis during treadmill walking, and provides compliant assistance. However, we observed an unexpected consequence of the device’s compliance: unimpaired and SCI individuals invariably began walking out-ofphase with the device. Thus, the robot perturbed rather than assisted stepping. To address this problem, we developed a novel algorithm that synchronizes the device in real-time to the actual motion of the individual by sensing the state error and adjusting the replay timing to reduce this error. This paper describes data from experiments with indi-viduals with SCI that demonstrate the effectiveness of the synchronization algorithm, and the potential of the device for relieving the trainers of strenuous work while maintaining naturalistic stepping.

(далее…)

Категория: Научные статьи | Нет комментариев »

The present invention relates to an exoskeleton interface apparatus that parallels human arm motion and is comprised of a serial assemblage of five powered linkages and joints based at a rigid support structure worn on the torso of the human subject. Such apparatus generates shoulder rotation using three orthogonal revolute joints mounted on serial linkages encompassing and intersecting at the anatomical glenohumeral joint. Elevation of the shoulder joint is articulated using a link member driven by a single revolute joint mounted in the torso structure. Passive adjustable linkages are used to match variation in anatomical forearm length, upper arm length, and scapula-to-glenohumeral radius. A plurality of integrated dc motor/harmonic drive transmission modules is co-located on adjoining linkages to power the joints. Force is exchanged with the human at the handgrip and elbow brace, and reacted to the torso structure via the base attachment. The present invention is applicable in particular to rehabilitation of the shoulder.

(далее…)

Категория: Патенты | Нет комментариев »

The visual grasp reflex provides automatic orienting of gaze (the visu-al axis in space) to novel visual stimuli. Previous studies have demonstrated activation of neck muscles of awake monkeys appearing at a short fixed latency (55 to 95 ms) after visual target presentation, regard-less of whether or when saccades are made. The purpose of these early visually-driven muscle activations may be to prime head rotation required as a part of the coordinated eye-head movement to the target. Simi-lar orienting responses might be found for visually guided reaching. Here, we explore early visually-dri-ven muscle activations of the human upper limb immediately preceding planar reaching movements. Subjects performed reaches towards small visual peripheral targets while upper limb kinematics were recorded and intramuscular electromyography was collected from four shoulder and elbow muscles. Subjects maintained their right hand at a central fixation marker that was extinguished for a gap period (200 ms) prior to appearance of a peripheral target. Subjects were instructed to reach to the target as quickly as possible. Some subjects exhibited a short burst of muscle activity (about 20 ms duration) time-locked to visual target onset. This burst occurred around 85 ms to 105 ms after target onset and preceded the onset of muscle activity associated with volitional arm motion by about 100 ms. Notably, this burst was dependent on target location: visually-driven muscle activity occurred in right shoulder extensor muscles for rightward targets and was absent for leftward targets. In order to better dissociate the visual burst from volitional motor activity, we employed a delay paradigm. No time-locked muscle activity was present in the delay task either after the target appeared or after the fixation marker was extinguished. This suggests that the visual burst is dependent on the imminence of voluntary movement and the laterality of the tar-get. We conclude that the appearance of a visual target can result in short-latency activity on the arm musculature that is appropriate for orienting the arm to the target.

(далее…)

Категория: Научные статьи | Нет комментариев »

Джонатан Гранстром (Jonathan Granstrom) и Джоэл Финстра (Joel Feenstra) из Мичиганского технологического университета (Michigan Tech), Генри Содано (Henry Sodano) из университета Аризоны (Arizona State University) и Кевин Фаринхольт (Kevin Farinholt) из компании NanoSonic разработали проект рюкзака, вырабатывающего ток для зарядки фонариков, радиостанций или мобильных телефонов, портативных компьютеров.

(далее…)

Категория: Энергия | 2 комментария »