Hybrid terrain-adaptive lower-extremity systems

• US 9,211,201 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otto Bock HealthCare LP (Nader Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: iWalk Incorporated (Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Herr, Hugh Miller, Casler, Rick, Han, Zhixiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H
• Application Number:
  US13/832,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20130312483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/60 Artificial legs or feet or parts thereof
• 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 2002/5003 having damping means, e.g. shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5007 having elastic means different from springs, e.g. including an elastomeric insert
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5079 Leaf springs A61F2002/6657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5087 Sound-damping or noise-reducing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6614 Feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6836 Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears
• 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 2002/763 for measuring spatial position, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• 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 2002/7665 : for measuring temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0155 : with actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0169 : with damping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0266 : Foot
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/001 : on steps or stairways
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/00 : Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04 ; applying electrical currents by contact electrodes for stimulating motor muscles, e.g. walking assistance A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0006 : Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0028 : Force sensors associated with force applying means G01L5/0052, G01L5/0057, G01L5/0061 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0061 : Force sensors associated with industrial machines or actuators for the specific machine or actuator involved see relevant class, e.g. F01, F04, F16, B66, E21
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 : Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/06 : Means for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 : with gears

Abstract

Hybrid terrain-adaptive lower-extremity apparatus and methods that perform in a variety of different situations by detecting the terrain that is being traversed, and adapting to the detected terrain. In some embodiments, the ability to control the apparatus for each of these situations builds upon five basic capabilities: (1) determining the activity being performed; (2) dynamically controlling the characteristics of the apparatus based on the activity that is being performed; (3) dynamically driving the apparatus based on the activity that is being performed; (4) determining terrain texture irregularities (e.g., how sticky is the terrain, how slippery is the terrain, is the terrain coarse or smooth, does the terrain have any obstructions, such as rocks) and (5) a mechanical design of the apparatus that can respond to the dynamic control and dynamic drive.

Claims

1. A method for a lower extremity prosthesis or orthosis, the lower extremity prosthesis or orthosis comprising a foot member, a lower leg member, and an ankle joint for connecting the foot member to the lower leg member, the method comprising:

receiving, from an accelerometer coupled to the lower leg member, an accelerometer signal;

receiving, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the lower leg member, an inertial pose misalignment signal;

determining at least one velocity error contribution when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during a walking cycle based in part on the accelerometer signal; and

determining at least one velocity error contribution when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during the walking cycle based in part on the inertial pose misalignment signal and a world frame-referenced ankle joint parameter, the world frame-referenced ankle joint parameter to include an indication of at least one of a velocity of the ankle joint or a position of the ankle joint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the inertial pose misalignment signal is a rate gyro signal output by a rate gyro, the method comprising:

determining the pose of the lower leg member based in part on the accelerometer signal and the rate gyro signal; and

determining a corrected pose of the lower leg member using the velocity error contributions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the prosthesis or orthosis comprises a thigh member, the method comprising:

receiving, from an accelerometer coupled to the thigh member, a second accelerometer signal;

receiving, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the thigh member, a second inertial pose misalignment signal; and

determining one or more velocity error contributions based on the second accelerometer signal and the second inertial pose misalignment signal when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during the walking cycle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the prosthesis or orthosis comprises a thigh member, the method comprising:

receiving, from an accelerometer coupled to the thigh member, a second accelerometer signal;

receiving, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the thigh member, a second inertial pose misalignment signal; and

determining one or more velocity error contributions based on the second accelerometer signal and the second inertial pose misalignment signal when a computed position on the foot member is substantially stationary.

5. The method of claim 3, comprising determining an angle of the lower leg member relative to the thigh member.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the velocity error contributions are determined during a portion of a controlled dorsiflexion state of the walking cycle.

7. A controller for a lower extremity prosthesis or orthosis, the lower extremity prosthesis or orthosis comprising a foot member, a lower leg member, and an ankle joint for connecting the foot member to the lower leg member, the controller comprising:

logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to;

receive, from an accelerometer coupled to the lower leg member, an accelerometer signal;

receive, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the lower leg member, an inertial pose misalignment signal;

determine at least one velocity error contribution when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during a walking cycle based in part on the accelerometer signal; and

determine at least one velocity error contribution when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during the walking cycle based in part on the inertial pose misalignment signal and a world frame-referenced ankle joint parameter, the world frame-referenced ankle joint parameter to include an indication of at least one of a velocity of the ankle joint or a position of the ankle joint.

8. The controller of claim 7, wherein the inertial pose misalignment signal is a rate gyro signal output by a rate gyro, the logic to:

determine the pose of the lower leg member based in part on the accelerometer signal and the rate gyro signal; and

determine a corrected pose of the lower leg member using the velocity error contributions.

9. The controller of claim 7, wherein the velocity error contributions are determined during a portion of a controlled dorsiflexion state of the walking cycle.

10. The controller of claim 7, wherein the prosthesis or orthosis comprises a thigh member, the logic to:

receive, from an accelerometer coupled to the thigh member, a second accelerometer signal;

receive, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the thigh member, a second inertial pose misalignment signal; and

determine one or more velocity error contributions based on the second accelerometer signal and the second inertial pose misalignment signal when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during the walking cycle.

11. The controller of claim 10, the logic to determine an angle of the lower leg member relative to the thigh member.

12. The controller of claim 10, the logic to:

receive, from an accelerometer coupled to a wearer'"'"'s torso, a third accelerometer signal;

receive, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the wearer'"'"'s torso, a third inertial pose misalignment signal; and

determine one or more velocity error contributions based on the third accelerometer signal and the third inertial pose misalignment signal when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during the walking cycle.

13. The controller of claim 12, the logic to determine an angle of the thigh member relative to the wearer'"'"'s torso.

14. The controller of claim 7, wherein the prosthesis or orthosis comprises a thigh member, the logic to:

receive, from an accelerometer coupled to the thigh member, a second accelerometer signal;

receive, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the thigh member, a second inertial pose misalignment signal; and

determine one or more velocity error contributions based on the second accelerometer signal and the second inertial pose misalignment signal when a computed position on the foot member is substantially stationary.

15. An article comprising a non-transient computer readable medium containing a plurality of instructions that when executed by a processing cause a processor to:

receive, from an accelerometer coupled to a lower leg member of a lower extremity prosthesis or orthosis, an accelerometer signal;

receive, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the lower leg member, an inertial pose misalignment signal;

determine at least one velocity error contribution when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during a walking cycle based in part on the accelerometer signal; and

determine at least one velocity error contribution when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during the walking cycle based in part on the inertial pose misalignment signal and a world frame-referenced ankle joint parameter, the world frame-referenced ankle joint parameter to include an indication of at least one of a velocity of an ankle joint coupled to the lower leg member or a position of the ankle joint.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein the inertial pose misalignment signal is a rate gyro signal output by a rate gyro, the plurality of instructions to further cause the processor to:

determine the pose of the lower leg member based in part on the accelerometer signal and the rate gyro signal; and

determine a corrected pose of the lower leg member using the velocity error contributions.

17. The article of claim 15, wherein the velocity error contributions are determined during a portion of a controlled dorsiflexion state of the walking cycle.

18. The article of claim 15, wherein the prosthesis or orthosis comprises a thigh member, the plurality of instructions to further cause the processor to:

receive, from an accelerometer coupled to the thigh member, a second accelerometer signal;

receive, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the thigh member, a second inertial pose misalignment signal; and

determine one or more velocity error contributions based on the second accelerometer signal and the second inertial pose misalignment signal when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during the walking cycle.

19. The article of claim 15, wherein the prosthesis or orthosis comprises a thigh member, the plurality of instructions to further cause the processor to:

receive, from an accelerometer coupled to the thigh member, a second accelerometer signal;

receive, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the thigh member, a second inertial pose misalignment signal; and

determine one or more velocity error contributions based on the second accelerometer signal and the second inertial pose misalignment signal when a computed position on the foot member is substantially stationary.

20. The article of claim 19, the plurality of instructions to further cause the processor to:

receive, from an accelerometer coupled to a wearer'"'"'s torso, a third accelerometer signal;

receive, from an inertial measurement unit coupled to the wearer'"'"'s torso, a third inertial pose misalignment signal; and

determine one or more velocity error contributions based on the third accelerometer signal and the third inertial pose misalignment signal when the ankle joint is substantially stationary during the walking cycle.