NOVEL ENHANCED METHODS FOR MIMICKING HUMAN GAIT WITH PROSTHETIC KNEE DEVICES

• US 20110202144A1
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proteor USA LLC (Holding Proteor SA)
• Original Assignee: Freedom Innovations LLC (Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Bisbee, Charles R. III, Palmer, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,655,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4851 Prosthesis assessment or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/64 Knee joints
• 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 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7625 for measuring angular position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7645 for measuring torque, e.g. hinge or turning moment, moment of force

Abstract

The present invention relates to a prosthetic device including a prosthetic joint which accurately transitions between a loose mode and a stiff mode to more accurately mimic a human gait. The prosthetic joint includes a state controller which utilizes a sensor to detect prosthetic joint movement data, and compares it with prosthetic joint movement decision values to determine when a solenoid should be energized to place the prosthetic joint in the loose mode. An optimization unit connects to the prosthetic joint in a prosthetic joint system. The optimization unit generates a plurality of data files containing prosthetic joint movement data corresponding to an amputee walking without stumbling. By iteratively analyzing the prosthetic joint movement data, the optimization unit adjusts the prosthetic joint movement decision values to ensure that the prosthetic joint does not prematurely enter a stumble recovery state.

Claims

1. A prosthetic joint capable of selectively entering a stumble recovery state comprising:

a state controller configured to;

detect prosthetic joint movement data;

determine a state of the prosthetic joint using the prosthetic joint movement data; and

analyze the prosthetic joint movement data and a prosthetic joint movement decision values to determine when the state of the prosthetic joint should enter a stumble recovery state.

2. The prosthetic joint of claim 1 wherein the prosthetic joint movement data includes swing time data, moment data, knee angle data, or knee angle rate of change data.

3. The prosthetic joint of claim 1 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include at least one of a maximum leg swing time, a maximum knee angle, or a maximum knee angle rate of change.

4. The prosthetic joint of claim 1 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include a bent knee time decision value.

5. The prosthetic joint of claim 1 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include a moment boundary value and a decreased moment time decision value.

6. The prosthetic joint of claim 1 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include a bent knee angle decision value.

7. The prosthetic joint of claim 1 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include a maximum swing moment.

8. The prosthetic joint of claim 1 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include an angle peak noise buffer value, or a minimum knee angle rate of change value.

9. A method for controlling when a prosthetic joint enters a stumble recovery state comprising:

detecting, using a state controller, prosthetic joint movement data;

determining, using the state controller, a state of the prosthetic joint using the prosthetic joint movement data;

retrieving, using the state controller, prosthetic joint movement decision values; and

analyzing, using the state controller, the prosthetic joint movement data and the prosthetic joint movement decision values to determine when the state of the prosthetic joint should enter a stumble recovery state.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the prosthetic joint movement data includes swing time data, moment data, knee angle data, or knee angle rate of change data.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include a maximum leg swing time, a maximum knee angle, and a maximum knee angle rate of change.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include a bent knee time decision value.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include a moment boundary value and a decreased moment time decision value.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include a bent knee angle decision value.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include a maximum swing moment.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values include an angle peak noise buffer value or a minimum knee angle rate of change value.

17. A prosthetic joint system comprising:

an optimization unit configured to;

generate a plurality of data files containing prosthetic joint movement data from a movement of a prosthetic joint capable of being in one or more states; and

iteratively analyze the prosthetic joint movement data for each of the plurality of data files to determine prosthetic joint movement decision values to ensure a state of the prosthetic joint matches with a corresponding movement of the prosthetic joint and/or optimizes performance of said prosthetic joint.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values is used to determine when the state of the prosthetic joint should be a state for stumble recovery.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the optimization unit is further configured to adjust the prosthetic joint movement decision values to minimize an amount of times that the state of the prosthetic joint is in a state for stumble recovery.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the plurality of data files corresponds to a user walking with the prosthetic joint and without stumbling.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the plurality of data files include a first data file corresponding to a user walking with the prosthetic joint at a first speed, a second data file corresponding to a user walking with the prosthetic joint at a second speed greater than the first speed, and the third data file corresponding to a user walking with the prosthetic joint at a third speed greater than the second speed and the first speed.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the plurality of data files are filtered to remove data associated with a first step and a last step of a user walking with the prosthetic joint.

23. A method of optimizing a prosthetic joint system to ensure a state of a prosthetic joint matches up with a corresponding movement of a prosthetic joint comprising:

generating, using an optimization unit, a plurality of data files containing prosthetic joint movement data from a movement of a prosthetic joint; and

iteratively analyzing, using the optimization unit, the prosthetic joint movement data for each of the plurality of data files to determine the prosthetic joint movement decision values that ensure a state of the prosthetic joint matches the corresponding movement of the prosthetic joint and/or the performance of the prosthetic joint is optimized.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the prosthetic joint movement decision values is used to determine when the state of the prosthetic joint should be a state for stumble recovery.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising adjusting, using the optimization unit, the prosthetic joint movement decision values to minimize an amount of times that the state of the prosthetic joint is in a state for stumble recovery.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of data files corresponds to a user walking with the prosthetic joint and without stumbling.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of data files include a first data file corresponding to a user walking with the prosthetic joint at a first speed, a second data file corresponding to a user walking with the prosthetic joint at a second speed greater than the first speed, and the third data file corresponding to a user walking with the prosthetic joint at a third speed greater than the second speed and the first speed.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of data files are filtered to remove data associated with a first step and a last step of a user walking with the prosthetic joint.