Current manual joysticks have been widely used to con-trol various artificial devices, but they are expensive and composed of mechanically bulky frames. To ad-dress these issues, we developed a myoelectric joystick using surface electromyogram (sEMG) from six mus-cles that make a wrist joint move. Fluid wrist movements were estimated by introducing a non-negative mus-cle synergy matrix and a joint synergy matrix. Only four movements were predefined (wrist extension, wrist flexion, radial deviation, and ulnar deviation) to construct the muscle synergy matrix, but an experimen-tal result showed that a variety of movements (e.g., a combination of wrist extension and ulnar deviation) could be extracted using the joint matrix. This work also could be extended for development of an alterna-tive computer interface and powered wrist prosthesis for individuals with transradial or wrist disarticu-lation level amputation.

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Now more than ever, progresses in information technology applied to rehabilitation robotics give new hopes to people recovering from different kinds of diseases and injuries. Beside the standard application of EMG signals to analyze disabilities or to track progress in rehabilitation, more focus has been put on controlling robot arms and exoskeletons. In recent years, biomechanists have developed very complex neuromusculoskeletal (NM) models of human joints to understand how the nervous system controls muscles and generates movements. Aware of these potentials, we have started a process of simplification to obtain a NM model suitable for the real-time control for a lower extremity exoskeleton. In this paper we present the NM model for the knee previously developed by Lloyd et al. We then investigate the effects of assuming the tendon infinitely stiff and show how this simplification does not affect the capacity of the model to predict muscle force and joint moment. We also assess the decrease in processing time required to calibrate the model and perform runtime estimates of muscles. Finally, we illustrate the implications of our research for the health care economic and social systems.

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(EN)A robot motor rehabilitation device (10), especially suitable for being used in motor rehabilitation activities on patients (72) suffering from neurological and/or orthopaedic damages of a various nature such as outcomes of ictus, head traumas, vertebral column injuries, as well as motor rehabilitation on patients with a hip bone or knee prosthesis, comprising a portal structure fixed to a base structure, a motor-driven belt (128) suitable for allowing the walk of the patient (72), a bodice (74) basically provided with four straps or braces (76) that can be hooked to the device structure and worn by the patient (72) for the support thereof, a first exoskeleton (82) and a second exoskeleton (84) articulated and independent for the passive and assisted movement of the lower limbs (72′) of the patient (72), the exoskeletons comprising automatic actuation and movement means, with said rehabilitation device that further comprises means for lifting the patient and for the automatic and continuous control of the amount of weight of the same to be used in the therapy.
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Artificial limbs and joints which behave like a biological limbs and joints employ a synthetic actuator which consume negligible power when exerting zero force, consume negligible power when outputting force at constant length (isometric) and while performing dissipative, nonconservative work, are capable of independently engaging flexion and extension tendon-like, series springs, are capable of independently varying joint position and stiffness, and exploit series elasticity for mechanical power amplification.

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A wearable action-assist device which assists or executes an action of a wearer by substituting for the wearer is provided with an action-assist tool 2 having an actuator 201 which gives power to the wearer 1, a biosignal sensor 221 which detects a wearer’s biosignal, a biosignal processing unit 3 which acquires from a biosignal «a» detected by the biosignal sensor a nerve transfer signal «b» for operating a wearer’s muscular line skeletal system, and a myoelectricity signal «c» accompanied with a wearer’s muscular line activity, an optional control unit 4 which generates a command signal «d» for causing the actuator 201 to generate power according to the wearer’s intention using the nerve transfer signal «b» and the myoelectricity signal «c» acquired by the biosignal processing unit 3, and a driving current generating unit 5 which generates a current according to the nerve transfer signal b and a current according to the myoelectricity signal «c», respectively, based on the command signal «d» generated by the optional control unit 4, and supplies the currents to the actuator 201.

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