System and method for determining terrain transitions

• US 8,852,292 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ossur hf
• Original Assignee: Ossur hf
• Inventors: Clausen, Arinbjrn Viggo, Ragnarsdttir, Heirn Gigja
• Primary Examiner(s): Snow, Bruce E
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOBAN, MELISSA A
• Application Number:
  US11/512,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,960 Days
• Field of Search: 623/24, 623/50, 623/47, 623/53
• US Class Current: 623/47
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/64 Knee joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/6607 Ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/72 Bioelectric control, e.g. myoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/76 Means for assembling, fitting or testing prostheses, e.g. for measuring or balancing, e.g. alignment means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5003 having damping means, e.g. shock absorbers for implantable joints A61F2002/30563
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5004 operated by electro- or magnetorheological fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5018 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/503 for adjusting elasticity, flexibility, spring rate or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5033 for adjusting damping damping means A61F2002/5003
• 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 2002/705 Electromagnetic data transfer for implantable prostheses A61F2250/0002
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/762 for measuring dimensions, e.g. a distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7635 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/764 for measuring acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7645 for measuring torque, e.g. hinge or turning moment, moment of force
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7685 located on natural or sound-site limbs, e.g. comparison measuring means

Abstract

A prosthetic or orthotic system including a sensor module and a processing module usable to determine a terrain variable, such as a terrain transition. In certain examples, the system is capable of anticipating a terrain transition prior to the user experiencing the terrain transition, which may include, for instance, a transition from level ground walking to walking on stairs or may include a change in a slope of the ground surface. In certain embodiments, the system advantageously monitors a posture and/or movement of the patient to anticipate the terrain transition. Furthermore, the system may control an actuator to appropriately adjust the prosthetic or orthotic device to encounter the anticipated terrain transition.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the movement of a device attached to a limb of a patient, the method comprising:

receiving first data identifying a change in a posture of a patient occurring while moving on a first terrain with a prosthetic ankle device attached to a limb of the patient;

processing with a computing device the first data to determine a terrain transition from the first terrain to a second terrain, wherein the first terrain comprises a different slope than the second terrain, and wherein said determining comprises identifying the different slope of the second terrain prior to any portion of the patient moving on the second terrain;

outputting second data indicative of the determined terrain transition; and

controlling with the computing device a movement of the prosthetic ankle device based at least upon said second data, wherein said controlling comprises at least actively adjusting an angle of a joint of the prosthetic ankle device prior to moving on the second terrain in order to accommodate the different slope of the second terrain identified from the first data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is derived from the measurements of at least one pressure sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is derived from the measurements of at least one load cell.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is derived from the measurements of at least an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is indicative of a change in either a center of pressure (COP) or a center of mass (COM) of the patient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is indicative of a change in a medial-lateral displacement of the patient.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first data is indicative of movement of the prosthetic ankle device.

8. The method of claim 7, additionally comprising monitoring the movement of the prosthetic ankle device associated with the limb to generate the first data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined terrain transition includes a transition to walking on stairs.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said actively adjusting comprises substantially mimicking the movement of a human ankle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling movement of the prosthetic ankle device comprises adjusting an actuator.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second terrains comprises level ground.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second terrains comprises an incline or a decline.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing is performed prior to a heel-off event during a stride of the patient immediately prior to the terrain transition.

15. A method of controlling the movement of a device attached to a limb of a user, the method comprising:

receiving first data identifying a change in a posture of a user occurring while moving with a prosthetic ankle device attached to a limb of the user on a first terrain having a first slope;

processing with a computing device the first data to identify a terrain transition from the first terrain to a second terrain having a second slope, the second slope being different than the first slope, and wherein said processing with the computing device comprises identifying the second slope prior to any portion of the user moving on the second terrain;

outputting second data indicative of the determined terrain transition; and

controlling a movement of the prosthetic ankle device based at least upon said second data, wherein said controlling comprises adjusting an angle of a joint of the prosthetic ankle device to accommodate the user'"'"'s movement on the second slope of the second terrain.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein one of the first and second terrains comprises level ground and the other of the first and second terrains comprises stairs.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein one of the first and second terrains comprises level ground and the other of the first and second terrains comprises an incline.

18. A method of controlling the movement of a device attached to a limb of a user, the method comprising:

sensing first data identifying a change in a posture of a user occurring while moving with a prosthetic ankle device attached to a limb of the user on a first terrain having a first slope;

processing the first data to identify a terrain transition from the first terrain to a second terrain having a second slope, the second slope being different than the first slope, and wherein said processing comprises identifying the second slope while the user is moving on the first terrain and prior to any portion of the user moving on the second terrain; and

controlling a movement of the prosthetic ankle device based at least upon the identified terrain transition, wherein said controlling comprises at least actively adjusting an angle of a joint of the prosthetic ankle device to accommodate the user'"'"'s movement on the second terrain.