Simplified Assistance At The Center Of Mass During Human Locomotion

The field of exoskeletons has undergone an evolution from complex full-body exoskeletons that did not (yet) produce the expected results towards simpler single-joint exoskeletons that can improve the mobility of people. While full-body and single-joint exoskeletons certainly have appropriate applications, we need to get a better understanding of the distal and proximal assistive mechanisms and provide insights that are currently lacking on how to assist walking in an even simpler way than single-joint exoskeletons. This dissertation details an iterative approach toward the development of simplified and efficient assistance strategies for improving human locomotion. We first conducted an experiment to observe the human response to proximal and distal perturbations by altering the treadmill grade and footwear inclination. The results indicate that the metabolic rate is predominantly sensitive to changes in the center of mass (COM) mechanics and further motivate the development of devices that can assist walking at the level of the COM. We then developed a robotic tether system that allows applying desired cyclic force profiles as a function of step time to provide whole-body assistance during walking. By leveraging the system capabilities, we performed an experiment and simple pendulum simulation to investigate the effects of timing and magnitude for non-constant force profiles at the COM. Through these experiments and the simulation, we found that assistance at the COM during the double stance phase can efficiently reduce the metabolic rate of walking half. Surprisingly, assisting propulsion did not maximize the reduction in metabolic rate, and our pendulum model revealed that the reduction in metabolic rate can instead be explained by the assistance of COM acceleration at the beginning of the step. Ultimately, our long term goal is to develop similar strategies to populations with gait disabilities, but as a primary step, we investigated the biomechanical mechanisms to assist lower limb joints using timed forward forces at the COM. To that end, we assessed the underlying mechanisms of muscle and joint parameters that explain the effects of timing and magnitude of horizontal forces at the COM on metabolic rate. The results show that the metabolically optimal timing assisted the ankle muscles that are responsible for push-off, and the knee and hip muscles that are responsible for collision. Based on these findings, it seems possible to assist different joints by different amounts by varying the timing of forces at the COM. This could be useful in clinical populations for providing ‘targeted’ joint-specific assistance without having to switch between different exoskeletons. We expect our experimental findings to provide knowledge on optimal force profiles that could be used for treadmill exercise therapy, motorized ‘rollator’-style assistive devices for walking, and even it could even inspire new strategies for combined actions of the ankle, knee, and hip of full-body exoskeletons. Timed forces at the COM could be used to assist patients with impaired gait and facilitate proactive user participation that has been identified as a critical factor in improving locomotor outcomes for rehabilitation robotics.

A large number of volumes have been produced summarizing the work on generation and control of rhythmic movements, in particular locomotion. Unfortunately most of them focus on locomotor studies done on animals. This edited volume redresses that imbalance by focusing completely on human locomotor behaviour. The very nature of the problem has both necessitated and attracted researchers from a wide variety of disciplines ranging from psychology, neurophysiology, kinesiology, engineering, medicine to computer science. The different and unique perspectives they bring to this problem provide a comprehensive picture of the current state of knowledge on the generation and regulation of human locomotor behaviour. A common unifying theme of this volume is studying the adaptability of human gait to obtain insights into the control of locomotion. The intentional focus on "adaptability" is meant to draw attention to the importance of understanding the generation and regulation of "skilled locomotor behaviour" rather than just the generation of basic locomotor patterns which has been the major focus of animal studies. The synthesis chapter at the end of the volume examines how the questions posed, the technology, and the experimental and theoretical paradigms have evolved over the years, and what the future has in store for this important research domain.

Understanding Mammalian Locomotion will formally introduce the emerging perspective of collision dynamics in mammalian terrestrial locomotion and explain how it influences the interpretation of form and functional capabilities. The objective is to bring the reader interested in the function and mechanics of mammalian terrestrial locomotion to a sophisticated conceptual understanding of the relevant mechanics and the current debate ongoing in the field.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Articulated Motion and Deformable Objects, AMDO 2002, held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain in November 2002.The 21 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected for inclusion in the book. Among the topics addressed are geometric and physical deformable objects, motion analysis, articulated models and animation, visualization of deformable models, 3D recovery from motion, single or multiple human motion analysis and synthesis, applications of deformable models and motion analysis, face tracking, recovery and recognition models.

Origins and Principles of Clinical Biomechanics in Human Locomotion discusses key concepts of how biomechanics links to the development of pathology through mechanical laws, anatomy, physiology and health. It provides fundamental principles and practical data, and guidance of how to apply these in the clinical biomechanics field. Coverage includes: major joint movement, muscle action around joints, physiology and patho-physiology of bone, muscle and neurologic disorders. This reference is ideal for teaching students in biomechanics, orthopedics and physiotherapy. It should also be of interest to product development engineers, rehabilitation engineers, those working in prosthetics and orthotics, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. The authors explore the simple laws of motion as applied to anatomy and physiology, in order to help readers understand human pathology within the human lower limb and mobility. They then go on to look at materials science concerns within this field, such as engineering stresses and strains, principles and types of material properties and the shaping of structural properties. Readers will also find within this book information on tissue science, force generation, biological sciences, evolution in biomechanics, human gait, functional units of the lower limb and foot, and finally pathomechanical principles; all as applied to clinical biomechanics. Bridges the void between research biomechanics and clinically applied biomechanics Links human locomotive biomechanics to medicine, physiology and evolutionary anatomy and medicine Prepares students, bioengineers and clinicians for the reality of utilizing biomechanical principles in clinical practice, while informing researchers of the environment limits that most clinical biomechanics practice occurs in

"This comprehensive book presents an integrated study of human movement and applies this knowledge to human performance and physical activity across the lifespan. The Biophysical Foundations of Human Movement, Second Edition, considers basic methods and concepts, typical research questions, key historical developments, professional training and organizations, and suggestions for further reading within each subdiscipline. The authors offer a unique perspective on the subdisciplines by exploring not only the basic science but also the changes in human movement and movement potential that occur throughout the lifespan as well in response to training, practice, and other lifestyle factors.".

This book presents an account of innovative methods and, for most of them, gives direct and practical insights into how practitioners can benefit from their use in their everyday practice. It also explains how to interpret the data measured, and the underlying neuromechanical and biomechanical factors related to sports performance. Written and edited by the same researchers who proposed and validated these methods, this book not only presents innovative methods for an efficient training and testing process (most of which are based on very simple technology and data processing methods), but also discusses the associated background information. Although it is a young scientific discipline, sport biomechanics has taken on an important role in routine sports training, medicine and rehabilitation. It allows both a better understanding of human locomotion and performance and better design of training and injury prevention. In those processes, the testing of athletes is crucial, and the quality and quantity of the variables analysed directly influences the efficiency of physicians’, coaches’, physiotherapists’ and other practitioners’ interventions.

Medical Neurobiology, Second Edition continues the work of Dr. Peggy Mason as one of the few single author textbooks available. Written in an engaging style for the vast majority of medical students who will choose to specialize in internal medicine, orthopedics, oncology, cardiology, emergency medicine, and the like, as well as the student interested in neurology, psychiatry, or ophthalmology, this textbook provides a sturdy scaffold upon which a more detailed specialized knowledge can be built. Unlike other neuroscience textbooks, this new edition continues to focus exclusively on the human, covering everything from neuroanatomy to perception, motor control, homeostasis, and pathophysiology. Dr. Mason uniquely explains how disease and illness affect one's neurobiological functions and how they manifest in a person. Thoroughly updated as a result of student feedback, the topics are strictly honed and logically organized to meet the needs of the time-pressed student studying on-the-go. This textbook allows the reader to effortlessly absorb fundamental information critical to the practice of medicine through the use of memorable stories, metaphors, and clinical cases. Students will gain the tools and confidence to make novel connections between the nervous system and human disease. This is the perfect reference for any medical student, biology student, as well as any clinician looking to expand their knowledge of the human nervous system. New To the Second Edition of Medical Neurobiology: · New sections on cerebral palsy, brain cancer, traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative diseases, aphasia, and Kallmann syndrome; · Incorporates easy to understand visual guides to brain development, eye movements, pupillary light reflex, pathways involved in Horner's syndrome; · Presents real-life dilemmas faced by clinicians are discussed from both the medical point of view and the patient's perspective; and · Additional reading lists are provided at the end of each chapter that include first-hand accounts of neurological cases and scientific discoveries (e.g. HM). Key Features Include: · Written in an accessible and narrative tone; · Uses metaphors and clinical examples to help the reader absorb the fundamentals of neurobiology; and · Highly illustrated with over 300 figures and tables for full comprehension of topics covered.

This book gathers the proceedings of the 16th IFToMM World Congress, which was held in Tokyo, Japan, on November 5–10, 2023. Having been organized every four years since 1965, the Congress represents the world’s largest scientific event on mechanism and machine science (MMS). The contributions cover an extremely diverse range of topics, including biomechanical engineering, computational kinematics, design methodologies, dynamics of machinery, multibody dynamics, gearing and transmissions, history of MMS, linkage and mechanical controls, robotics and mechatronics, micro-mechanisms, reliability of machines and mechanisms, rotor dynamics, standardization of terminology, sustainable energy systems, transportation machinery, tribology and vibration. Selected by means of a rigorous international peer-review process, they highlight numerous exciting advances and ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster new multidisciplinary collaborations.