Orthodynamic rehabilitator

• US 20040243025A1
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Muscle Tech Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Muscle Tech Ltd.
• Inventors: Peles, Zalman
• Granted Patent: US 7,204,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0277 Elbow
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0176 By stopping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/018 By limiting the applied torque or force
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5069 Angle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5071 Pressure sensors

Abstract

The present invention is a portable orthotic system that performs predefined or user-controlled limb movements, collects data regarding limb movement, performs data analysis and displays representations of the data and data analysis results in real time, and modifies current operational parameters based upon such data so as to optimize the rehabilitative process performed by the system.

Claims

1. A method for moving a jointed body part of a patient through a range of motion, the method comprising:

(a) deploying an external actuating device on the patient;

(b) activating said external actuating device so as to repeatedly perform a set of motions according to a certain set of parameters;

(c) collecting data relating to said performance;

(d) analyzing said data by use of a data processor, said analyzing being substantially in real time; and

(e) during said activating, modifying, responsive to said data, at least one parameter of said set of parameters during all uninterrupted treatment session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of motions includes rotating the body part about a first axis of body-part-rotation

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said external actuating device is implemented with at least two rotatably interconnected sections, said deployment being such that a first axis of device-rotation, which is an axis about which said sections rotate in relation to each other, lies substantially on said first axis of body-part-rotation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said activating includes rotating at least one of said sections about said first axis of device-rotation.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said at least two rotatable sections are implemented as at least three sections having a first and second axes of device-rotation, which are axes about which said sections rotate in relation one to another, that lie substantially on a first and second axes of body-part-rotation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said rotating of said sections about said axis of device-rotation is implemented as rotation about said first and second axes of device-rotation, and said first and second axes of device-rotation are perpendicular to each other.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said rotating about said first and second axes of device-rotation is implemented as substantially simultaneous rotation about said first and second axes of device-rotation.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein said collecting data includes collecting data regarding angular orientation of each one of said sections in relation to others of said sections.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said collecting data includes collecting force related data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said collecting data includes collecting time related data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameters include angular movement velocity of at least one of said sections.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameters include force applied by at least one said section to the body part.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameters include time of said activating of said external actuating device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said activating further includes using a control unit in electronic communication with said data processor, said control unit further being in control communication with said external actuating device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising activating hydraulic actuators associated with said external actuating device to achieve said rotation, said control communication therefore being fluid communication.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said control unit is implemented as a remote control unit.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying representations of said data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said displaying is implemented as a substantially continuous, real time display of said data.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said certain set of parameters relate to said activating being in a rehabilitative mode.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said certain set of parameters relate to said activating being in an assistive mode.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said data collecting includes saving said data for later retrieval.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said saving includes adding said data to a database.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said database in implemented as a patient dedicated database.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said database is implemented as a system database.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said analysis includes analysis of data in said database.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said analysis includes comparison of data from a current session to data from at least one previous session.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said analysis includes comparison of data from a current session to data in said database.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said analysis includes analysis of rehabilitative progress.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein said analysis is included in a decision making process of a treatment team.

30. A system for moving a jointed body part of a patient through a range of motion, the system comprising:

(a) an external actuating device deployed on the patient configured so as to repeatedly perform a set of motions according to a certain set of parameters;

(b) data collection elements associated with said external actuating device configured so as to collect data relating to said rotation;

(c) a data processor in data communication with said data collection elements and control communication with said external actuating device, said data processor configured so as to analyze said data in real time and during said performance of said set of motions, modify, responsive to said data, at least one parameter of said set of parameters during an uninterrupted treatment session.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said external actuating device is configured to rotate the joint of the body part.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said external actuating device is configured with at least two rotatably interconnected sections, said external actuating device deployed such that a first axis of device-rotation, which is an axis about which said sections rotate in relation to each other, lies substantially on a first axis of body-part-rotation, and activating said external actuating device rotates at least one of said sections about said axis of device-rotation, thereby articulating the body part.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said at least two rotatable sections are implemented as at least three (please comment) sections having a first and second axes of device-rotation, which are axes about which said sections rotate in relation one to another, that lie substantially on a first and second axes of body-part-rotation.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said first and second axes of device-rotation are perpendicular to each other.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said rotating about said two axes of device-rotation is implemented as substantially simultaneous rotation about said two axes of device-rotation.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said data collecting elements include elements configured to collect data regarding angular orientation of each one of said sections in relation to others of said sections.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein said data collecting elements include elements configured to collect force related data.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein Said data collecting elements include elements configured to collect time related data.

39. The system of claim 30, wherein said data collection elements include a tension/compression load cell

40. The system of claim 33, wherein said data collection elements include an encoder.

41. The system of claim 30, wherein said data collection elements include a torque sensor.

42. The system of claim 33, wherein said certain set of parameters includes angular velocity of at least one of said sections.

43. The system of claim 33, wherein said certain set of parameters includes force exerted by at least one of said sections.

44. The system of claim 30, wherein said certain set of parameters includes time during which said external actuating device is activated.

45. The system of claim 30, further comprising a control unit in electronic communication with said data processor, and in control communication with said external actuating device.

46. The system of claim 45, further comprising hydraulic actuators associated with said external actuating device, said hydraulic actuators Configured so as to rotate said sections about said axis of device-rotation, said control communication therefore being fluid communication.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said data collection elements include a fluid pressure sensor.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein said control unit is implemented as a remote control unit.

49. The system of claim 30, wherein said data processor includes a display component configured to display representations of said data.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein said data processor is configured such that said display of data representations is a substantially continuous, real time display of said data.

51. The system of claim 30, wherein said data is saved for later retrieval.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein said data is added to a database.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein said database in implemented as a patient dedicated database.

54. The system of claim 52, wherein said database is implemented as a system database.

55. The system of claim 52, wherein said data processor analyzes said data in said database.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said data processor is configured to compare data from a current session to data from at least one previous session.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein said data processor is configured to compare data from a current session to data in said database.

58. The system of claim 55, wherein said data processor is configured to analyzes rehabilitative progress.

59. The system of claim 55, wherein said data processor is configured to provide data to aid a decision making process of a treatment team.