Active Ankle Foot Orthosis

• US 20050070834A1
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Blaya, Joaquin, Pratt, Gill A., Herr, Hugh
• Granted Patent: US 8,075,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4523 Tendons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/701 operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0155 with actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0113 Drop-foot appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0127 for the feet A61F5/0111 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/007 secured to the patient, e.g. with belts
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/12 Driving means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/10 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/00 Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04; orthopaedic devices for correcting deformities of, or supporting, limbs A61F5/0102; exercising apparatus for the feet or toes A63B23/10; stairways or ramps E04F11/00

Abstract

An Active Ankle Foot Orthosis (AAFO) is provided where the impedance of an orthotic joint is modulated throughout the walking cycle to treat ankle foot gait pathology, such as drop foot gait. During controlled plantar flexion, a biomimetic torsional spring control is applied where orthotic joint stiffness is actively adjusted to minimize forefoot collisions with the ground. Throughout late stance, joint impedance is minimized so as not to impede powered plantar flexion movements, and during the swing phase, a torsional spring-damper (PD) control lifts the foot to provide toe clearance. To assess the clinical effects of variable-impedance control, kinetic and kinematic gait data were collected on two drop foot participants wearing the AAFO. It has been found that actively adjusting joint impedance reduces the occurrence of slap foot, allows greater powered plantar flexion, and provides for less kinematic difference during swing when compared to normals.

Claims

1. A variable-impedance active ankle foot orthosis comprising an actuator for modulating an impedance of an orthotic joint throughout a walking cycle for treating an ankle foot gait pathology.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the orthosis includes a torsional spring stiffness control.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the orthosis includes a spring-damper positional control.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is coupled to a foot portion of the orthosis.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a series elastic actuator.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the orthosis includes an ankle angle sensor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the orthosis includes one or more ground reaction force sensors.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the orthosis includes an actuator, an ankle angle sensor, one or more ground reaction force sensors, and a controller for controlling the orthosis.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the orthosis includes a foot switch.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the orthosis is used to treat drop foot gait.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the orthosis is used to treat a patient having anterior muscle weakness, posterior muscle weakness, or a combination thereof.

12. A device for treating an ankle foot gait pathology comprising:

an orthosis including a leg portion attachable to a leg of a person and a foot portion attachable to a foot of the person; and

an actuator attachable to the leg portion for acting on a spring disposed between the actuator and the foot portion.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the actuator adjusts stiffness of the orthosis during controlled plantar flexion to minimize forefoot collisions with the ground.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the actuator minimizes the impedance during late stance.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the actuator applies a spring-damper positional control during a swing phase.

16. The device of claim 12, further comprising an ankle angle sensor.

17. The device of claim 12, further comprising one or more ground reaction force sensors.

18. The device of claim 12, further comprising a controller for controlling the orthosis.

19. A method comprising modulating an impedance of an orthotic joint of an orthosis throughout a walking cycle.

20. The method of claim 19, further including adjusting the stiffness of the orthotic joint during controlled plantar flexion to minimize forefoot collisions with the ground.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the stiffness of the orthotic joint is adjusted by applying a biomimetic torsional spring control.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising minimizing the impedance during late stance.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising applying a torsional spring-damper positional control during a swing phase.

24. A method of treating an ankle foot gait pathology using functional electrical stimulation, comprising applying electrical pulses to elicit muscle contractions to actively modulate ankle impedance to achieve a torsional spring control during controlled plantar flexion so as to minimize forefoot collisions with the ground, minimizing impedance during late stance, and achieving a spring-damper positional control during a swing phase.