Dataset Information

Development of an Improved Rotational Orthosis for Walking With Arm Swing and Active Ankle Control.

ABSTRACT: Based on interlimb neural coupling, gait robotic systems should produce walking-like movement in both upper and lower limbs for effective walking restoration. Two orthoses were previously designed in our lab to provide passive walking with arm swing. However, an active system for walking with arm swing is desirable to serve as a testbed for investigation of interlimb neural coupling in response to voluntary input. Given the important function of the ankle joint during normal walking, this work aimed to develop an improved rotational orthosis for walking with arm swing, which is called ROWAS II, and especially to develop and evaluate the algorithms for active ankle control. After description of the mechanical structure and control schemes of the overall ROWAS II system, the closed-loop position control and adjustable admittance control algorithms were firstly deduced, then simulated in Matlab/Simulink and finally implemented in the ROWAS II system. Six able-bodied participants were recruited to use the ROWAS II system in passive mode, and then to estimate the active ankle mechanism. It was showed that the closed-loop position control algorithms enabled the ROWAS II system to track the target arm-leg walking movement patterns well in passive mode, with the tracking error of each joint <0.7°. The adjustable admittance control algorithms enabled the participants to voluntarily adjust the ankle movement by exerting various active force. Higher admittance gains enabled the participants to more easily adjust the movement trajectory of the ankle mechanism. The ROWAS II system is technically feasible to produce walking-like movement in the bilateral upper and lower limbs in passive mode, and the ankle mechanism has technical potential to provide various active ankle training during gait rehabilitation. This novel ROWAS II system can serve as a testbed for further investigation of interlimb neural coupling in response to voluntary ankle movement and is technically feasible to provide a new training paradigm of walking with arm swing and active ankle control.

SUBMITTER: Mu Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7189750 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Development of an Improved Rotational Orthosis for Walking With Arm Swing and Active Ankle Control.

Mu Zaile Z Zhang Qiuju Q Yang Guo-Yuan GY Xie Le L Fang Juan J

Frontiers in neurorobotics 20200422

Based on interlimb neural coupling, gait robotic systems should produce walking-like movement in both upper and lower limbs for effective walking restoration. Two orthoses were previously designed in our lab to provide passive walking with arm swing. However, an active system for walking with arm swing is desirable to serve as a testbed for investigation of interlimb neural coupling in response to voluntary input. Given the important function of the ankle joint during normal walking, this work a ...[more]

PMID: 32390821

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Project description:We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the effectiveness of ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) use in improving gait biomechanical parameters such as walking speed, mobility, and kinematics in patients with stroke with gait disturbance. We searched the MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Cochrane, Embase, and Scopus databases and retrieved studies published until June 2021. Experimental and prospective studies were included that evaluated biomechanics or kinematic parameters with or without AFO in patients with stroke. We analyzed gait biomechanical parameters, including walking speed, mobility, balance, and kinematic variables, in studies involving patients with and without AFO use. The criteria of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions were used to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies, and the level of evidence was evaluated using the Research Pyramid model. Funnel plot analysis and Egger's test were performed to confirm publication bias. A total of 19 studies including 434 participants that reported on the immediate or short-term effectiveness of AFO use were included in the analysis. Significant improvements in walking speed (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.50; 95% CI 0.34-0.66; P < 0.00001; I2, 0%), cadence (SMD, 0.42; 95% CI 0.22-0.62; P < 0.0001; I2, 0%), step length (SMD, 0.41; 95% CI 0.18-0.63; P = 0.0003; I2, 2%), stride length (SMD, 0.43; 95% CI 0.15-0.71; P = 0.003; I2, 7%), Timed up-and-go test (SMD, - 0.30; 95% CI - 0.54 to - 0.07; P = 0.01; I2, 0%), functional ambulation category (FAC) score (SMD, 1.61; 95% CI 1.19-2.02; P < 0.00001; I2, 0%), ankle sagittal plane angle at initial contact (SMD, 0.66; 95% CI 0.34-0.98; P < 0.0001; I2, 0%), and knee sagittal plane angle at toe-off (SMD, 0.39; 95% CI 0.04-0.73; P = 0.03; I2, 46%) were observed when the patients wore AFOs. Stride time, body sway, and hip sagittal plane angle at toe-off were not significantly improved (p = 0.74, p = 0.07, p = 0.07, respectively). Among these results, the FAC score showed the most significant improvement, and stride time showed the lowest improvement. AFO improves walking speed, cadence, step length, and stride length, particularly in patients with stroke. AFO is considered beneficial in enhancing gait stability and ambulatory ability.

Project description:BackgroundIn the last decades, several powered ankle-foot orthoses have been developed to assist the ankle joint of their users during walking. Recent studies have shown that the effects of the assistance provided by powered ankle-foot orthoses depend on the assistive profile. In compliant actuators, the stiffness level influences the actuator's performance. However, the effects of this parameter on the users has not been yet evaluated. The goal of this study is to assess the effects of the assistance provided by a variable stiffness ankle actuator on healthy young users. More specifically, the effect of different onset times of the push-off torque and different actuator's stiffness levels has been investigated.MethodsEight healthy subjects walked with a unilateral powered ankle-foot orthosis in several assisted walking trials. The powered orthosis was actuated in the sagittal plane by a variable stiffness actuator. During the assisted walking trials, three different onset times of the push-off assistance and three different actuator's stiffness levels were used. The metabolic cost of walking, lower limb muscles activation, joint kinematics, and gait parameters measured during different assisted walking trials were compared to the ones measured during normal walking and walking with the powered orthosis not providing assistance.ResultsThis study found trends for more compliant settings of the ankle actuator resulting in bigger reductions of the metabolic cost of walking and soleus muscle activation in the stance phase during assisted walking as compared to the unassisted walking trial. In addition to this, the study found that, among the tested onset times, the earlier ones showed a trend for bigger reductions of the activation of the soleus muscle during stance, while the later ones led to a bigger reduction in the metabolic cost of walking in the assisted walking trials as compared to the unassisted condition.ConclusionsThis study presents a first attempt to show that, together with the assistive torque profile, also the stiffness level of a compliant ankle actuator can influence the assistive performance of a powered ankle-foot orthosis.

Dataset Information

Development of an Improved Rotational Orthosis for Walking With Arm Swing and Active Ankle Control.

Publications

Development of an Improved Rotational Orthosis for Walking With Arm Swing and Active Ankle Control.

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