System and method for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs

• US 9,521,964 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Wu, Chi-Kang, Huang, Chih-Hung, Liu, Chueh-Shan, Lin, Shih-Yun
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foreman, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US13/563,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 600587-595
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/04 Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1074 Foot measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle

Abstract

A system and a method for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs is provided. The method includes the following steps: sensing a plurality of foot pressure signals of a user by using a sensor array, the foot pressure signals comprising at least a rearfoot pressure signal and at least a forefoot pressure signal; calculating a temporal sequence of a gait cycle of the user according to the foot pressure signals; calculating a foot reaction force of the user according to the foot pressure signals and a calibration parameter; and calculating a mechanical state of the lower limb joints of the user according to the temporal sequence of the gait cycle and the foot reaction force.

Claims

1. A system for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs, comprising:

an input module, configured to input and record a data of a user;

a sensor array, comprising no more than a first sensor, a second sensor and a third sensor, each of the first, second and third sensors being positioned along a foot center of pressure (COP) progression pathway, disposed on a first and/or second region of a support surface of an object to sense a plurality of foot pressure signals of the user, wherein the first region and the second region are respectively disposed at two opposite ends on a same side of the support surface of the object;

a calculation module coupled to the input module, configured to calculate a temporal sequence of a gait cycle, a foot reaction force, and a mechanical state of the lower limb joints of the user by an appearance sequence of the foot pressure signals or a relative strength ratio of the foot pressure signals according to the data of the user and the foot pressure signals of the user; and

an output module coupled to the calculation module, configured to output the temporal sequence of the gait cycle, the foot reaction force, or the mechanical state of the lower limb joints of the user.

2. The system for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mechanical state of the lower limb joints comprises a moment exerted from the muscle groups around the joints, a compression force endured by the hip joint, a compression force endured by the knee joint, a tension force endured by the connective tissue around the ankle joint, a tension force endured by the connective tissue around the knee joint, or a tension force endured by the connective tissue around the hip joint.

3. The system for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input module comprises:

a data recording unit, configured to record a height, a body weight, an age, a gender, or a race of the user.

4. The system for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first, second and third sensors are resistive pressure sensors or capacitive pressure sensors.

5. The system for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output module comprises:

a communication unit, configured to provide a communication function to connect with an external device.

6. The system for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs as claimed in claim 5, wherein the communication unit is a radio frequency transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, or a ZigBee wireless communication unit.

7. The system for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wire or a wireless communication connection is configured to connect between the sensor array and the calculation module.

8. The system for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs as claimed in claim 1, wherein the calculation module comprises:

a signal acquisition unit coupled to the input module, configured to acquire the foot pressure signals, and record the foot pressure signals in the input module;

a gait calculation unit coupled to the signal acquisition unit, configured to calculate the temporal sequence of the gait cycle according to the appearance sequence or the relative strength ratio of the foot pressure signals;

a boundary force calculation unit coupled to the signal acquisition unit, configured to calculate the foot reaction force according to the foot pressure signals and a calibration parameter; and

a mechanical calculation unit coupled to the gait calculation unit and the boundary force calculation unit, configured to calculate the mechanical state of the lower limb joints according to the temporal sequence of the gait cycle and the foot reaction force.

9. The system for estimating the mechanical behavior of human lower limbs as claimed in claim 8, wherein the gait calculation unit determines a starting point of the gait cycle according to whether a foot pressure signal of the first and second sensors appear, and calculates the temporal sequence of the gait cycle through the foot pressure signals.