Multi-device patient ambulation system

• US 20060206167A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Braingate Co., LLC
• Original Assignee: Braingate Co., LLC
• Inventors: Serruya, Mijail D., Flaherty, J. Christopher, Donoghue, John P.
• Application Number:
  US11/319,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206167A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0255 Both knee and hip of a patient, e.g. in supine or sitting position, the feet being moved in a plane substantially parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane A61H1/0214 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0277 Elbow
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1635 Hand or arm, e.g. handle hand-held, A61H2201/0153; fore-arm support, A61H2003/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1638 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1642 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1676 Pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5058 Sensors or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5071 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5082 Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/03 especially adapted for animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/085 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/605 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/008 Using suspension devices for supporting the body in an upright walking or standing position, e.g. harnesses drawing-out devices A61H1/0218
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/04 Wheeled walking aids for disabled persons A61H3/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0006 Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure

Abstract

Various embodiments of an ambulation and movement assist system are disclosed. For example, an ambulation system for a patient may comprise an exoskeleton device attached to the patient, an FES device at least partially implanted in the patient, and a biological interface apparatus. The biological interface apparatus comprises a sensor having a plurality of electrodes for detecting multicellular signals, a processing unit configured to receive the multicellular signals from the sensor, process the multicellular signals to produce a processed signal, and transmit the processed signal to a controlled device. At least one of the exoskeleton device and the FES device is the controlled device of the biological interface apparatus.

Claims

1. An ambulation system for a patient comprising:

an exoskeleton device attached to one or more limbs of the patient;

an FES device at least partially implanted in the patient; and

a biological interface apparatus comprising;

a sensor comprising a plurality of electrodes for detecting multicellular signals emanating from one or more living cells of a patient; and

a processing unit configured to receive the multicellular signals from the sensor, process the multicellular signals to produce a processed signal, and transmit the processed signal to one or more controlled devices,

wherein at least one of the exoskeleton device and the FES device is the controlled device of the biological interface apparatus.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein both the exoskeleton device and the FES device are the controlled devices, and the processed signal is transmitted to each of the exoskeleton device and the FES device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein both the exoskeleton device and the FES device are the controlled devices, wherein the processing unit is configured to produce a second processed signal by processing the multicellular signals, and wherein the processed signal is used to control the exoskeleton device, and the second processed signal is used to control the FES device.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a third controlled device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the third controlled device is selected from the group consisting of:

a wheelchair;

a cane;

a scooter;

a walker; and

any combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 3, further comprising an ambulation assist apparatus.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the ambulation assist apparatus is selected from the group consisting of:

a wheelchair;

a cane;

a scooter;

a walker; and

any combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the FES device further comprises a second sensor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor;

a force sensor;

a strain sensor;

a torsional sensor;

a piezoelectric sensor;

a force sensing resistor;

a mercury switch;

an angular orientation sensor;

a load cell;

a vacuum sensor;

a temperature sensor;

a humidity sensor;

a power sensor;

an electromagnetic field sensor; and

any combination thereof.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the FES device further comprises a data transfer mechanism.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein data is transferred to the biological interface apparatus.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein data is transferred to the exoskeleton device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the FES device further comprises a signal processing mechanism.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the FES device receives signals from the exoskeleton device, and the signal processing mechanism modifies one or more configuration parameters of the FES device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the exoskeleton device further comprises a second sensor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor;

a force sensor;

a strain sensor;

a torsional sensor;

a piezoelectric sensor;

a force sensing resistor;

a mercury switch;

an angular orientation sensor;

a load cell;

a vacuum sensor;

a temperature sensor;

a humidity sensor;

a power sensor;

an electromagnetic field sensor; and

any combination thereof.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the exoskeleton device further comprises a data transfer mechanism.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein data is transferred to the biological interface apparatus.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein data is transferred to the FES device.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the exoskeleton device further comprises a signal processing mechanism.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the exoskeleton device receives signals from the FES device, and the signal processing mechanism modifies one or more configuration parameters of the exoskeleton device.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second sensor in one or more components of the system.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor;

a force sensor;

a strain sensor;

a torsional sensor;

a piezoelectric sensor;

a force sensing resistor;

a mercury switch;

an angular orientation sensor;

a load cell;

a vacuum sensor;

a temperature sensor;

a humidity sensor;

a power sensor;

an electromagnetic field sensor; and

any combination thereof.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein signals produced by the second sensor are transmitted to the biological interface apparatus.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein signals produced by the sensor are transmitted to two or more of:

the biological interface apparatus;

the FES device; and

the exoskeleton device.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the biological interface apparatus comprises a neural interface system.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the biological interface apparatus comprises a brain machine interface.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to monitor a biological signal of the patient, wherein a change in state of the monitored biological signal causes the biological interface apparatus to change states.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the change in state comprises one or more of:

system on or off state;

calibration routine on or off state; and

reset routine on or off state.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the monitored biological signal is selected from the group consisting of:

eye motion;

eyelid motion;

facial muscle activation;

electromyographic activity;

heart rate;

EEG;

LFP;

respiration; and

any combination thereof.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the monitored biological signal comprises a time code of brain activity.

32. The system of claim 1, further comprising a patient activated input device, wherein the biological interface apparatus is configured to change state due to a signal received from the patient activated input device.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the patient activated input device is selected from the group consisting of:

chin joystick;

eyebrow EMG switch;

EEG activated switch;

eye tracker;

head tracker;

neck movement switch;

shoulder movement switch;

sip-n-puff joystick controller;

speech recognition switch;

tongue switch; and

any combination thereof.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the multicellular signals emanate from the central nervous system of the patient.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the multicellular signals comprise one or more of:

neuron spikes;

ECoG signals;

LFP signals; and

EEG signals.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrodes detect the multicellular signals from clusters of neurons and provide signals including a quantity of neurons between single neuron and EEG recordings.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to assign at least one cellular signal to a specific use.

38. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize at least one cellular signal generated under voluntary control of the patient.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient comprises a human being.

40. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient is selected from the group consisting of:

a quadriplegic;

a paraplegic;

an amputee;

a spinal cord injury victim;

a physically impaired person; and

any combination thereof.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient is healthy and or otherwise is not utilizing the system to provide a therapeutic or restorative function.

42. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to produce a second processed signal.

43. The system of claim 42, further comprising a second controlled device, wherein the second controlled device receives the second processed signal.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the controlled device receives the second processed signal.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the second processed signal is based on the multicellular signals of the sensor.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the second processed signal is based on the same set of multicellular signals as the first processed signal.

47. The system of claim 42, wherein the second processed signal is based on a monitored biological signal of the patient.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the monitored biological signal is selected from the group consisting of:

eye motion;

eyelid motion;

facial muscle activation;

electromyographic activity;

heart rate;

EEG;

LFP;

respiration; and

any combination thereof.

49. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one multi-electrode array comprising the plurality of electrodes.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the array comprises a ten-by-ten array of electrodes.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes is configured to penetrate into neural tissue of the brain to detect electric signals generated from neurons.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the multi-electrode array comprises at least one of:

a recording electrode;

a stimulating electrode; and

an electrode having recording and stimulating capabilities.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein the multi-electrode array comprises multiple projections extending from a surface, and one or more projections comprise at least one electrode along its length.

54. The system of claim 49, wherein the sensor further comprises a second multi-electrode array.

55. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes multiple wires or wire bundle electrodes.

56. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises electrodes incorporated into one or more of:

a subdural grid;

a scalp electrode;

a wire electrode; and

a cuff electrode.

57. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrodes comprise wires and the sensor comprises a wire bundle.

58. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes two or more discrete components.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein each of the discrete components comprises one or more electrodes.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein each of the discrete components comprises one or more of:

a multi-electrode array;

a wire or wire bundle;

a subdural grid; and

a scalp electrode.

61. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises a signal processing circuitry.

62. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to transmit the multicellular signals through a wireless connection.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the sensor transmits wirelessly to a receiver mounted on the skull of the patient.

64. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises a coil for power transmission to the sensor.

65. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are capable of recording from clusters of neurons and outputting detected signals comprising multiple neuron signals.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein detected signals comprise a measure of the LFP response from neural activity.

67. The system of claim 65, wherein the multiple neuron signals comprise one or more of:

ECoG signals;

LFP signals;

EEG signal; and

peripheral nerve signals.

68. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes is capable of detecting a plurality of neuron signals.

69. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes is placed into tissue selected from the group consisting of:

nerve tissue;

organ tissue; and

tumor tissue.

70. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to perform one or more of:

amplifying;

filtering;

sorting;

conditioning;

translating;

interpreting;

encoding;

decoding;

combining;

extracting;

sampling;

multiplexing;

analog to digital converting;

digital to analog converting;

mathematically transforming and/or otherwise processing cellular signals to generate a control signal for transmission to the controlled device.

71. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit comprises one or more of:

a temperature sensor;

a pressure sensor;

a strain gauge;

an accelerometer;

a volume sensor;

an electrode;

an array of electrodes;

an audio transducer;

a mechanical vibrator;

a drug delivery device;

a magnetic field generator;

a photo detector element;

a visualization apparatus;

a wireless communication element;

a light producing element;

an electrical stimulator;

a physiologic sensor;

a heating element; and

a cooling element.

72. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the processing unit is physically connected to the sensor.

73. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit comprises an amplifier to amplify the multicellular signals.

74. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to assign one or more cellular signals to a specific use.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the specific use is determined by the patient attempting an imagined movement or other imagined state.

76. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit utilizes one or more cellular signals that is under voluntary control of the patient.

77. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to convert a monitored biological signal of the patient to a digital signal.

78. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to process a monitored biological signal of the patient to produce a second processed signal.

79. The system of claim 78, wherein the second processed signal is used to control the controlled device.

80. The system of claim 78, wherein the second processed signal is used to modify one or more system configuration parameters of the system.

81. The system of claim 78, wherein the second processed signal is used to stop control of the controlled device.

82. The system of claim 78, wherein the second processed signal is used to reset the system.

83. The system of claim 1, further comprising a stimulating device.

84. The system of claim 83, wherein the stimulating device is at least partially implanted into the patient'"'"'s body.

85. The system of claim 83, wherein the stimulating device comprises a first discrete component and a second discrete component, the first discrete component comprising at least one electrode and at least one electrical connection to the second discrete component.

86. The system of claim 83, wherein the stimulating device comprises a first discrete component, and the sensor comprises a second discrete component.

87. The system of claim 83, wherein the stimulating device comprises multiple stimulating electrodes.

88. The system of claim 87, wherein the stimulating device is configured to send stimulating current to at least one of the electrodes independently.

89. The system of claim 83, wherein the stimulating device comprises a stimulating power transmitter.

90. The system of claim 89, wherein the stimulating power transmitter comprises an integral power supply.

91. The system of claim 89, wherein the stimulating power transmitter comprises an integral power receiving coil.

92. The system of claim 1, further comprising a patient feedback module.

93. The system of claim 92, wherein the patient feedback module comprises one or more of:

an audio transducer;

a tactile transducer;

a visual transducer;

a video display;

a gustatory transducer; and

an olfactory transducer.

94. The system of claim 92, wherein the patient feedback module comprises a stimulator, and one or more neurons are stimulated to cause movement or sensation in a part of the patient'"'"'s body.

95. The system of claim 1, further comprising a drug delivery system, wherein the processing unit sends a signal to the drug delivery system to deliver a therapeutic agent or drug to at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body.

96. The system of claim 1, further comprising an embedded ID.

97. The system of claim 96, wherein the embedded ID is used to confirm compatibility of one or more discrete components of the system.

98. An method of ambulation for a patient comprising:

providing the ambulation system of claim 1;

transmitting the processed signal from the processing unit to the controlled device to support patient ambulation.