Development of an Improved Rotational Orthosis for Walking With Arm Swing and Active Ankle Control

Mu, Zaile; Zhang, Qiuju; Yang, Guo-Yuan; Xie, Le; Fang, Juan (2020). Development of an Improved Rotational Orthosis for Walking With Arm Swing and Active Ankle Control Frontiers in Neurorobotics, 17(14), pp. 1-14. 10.3389/fnbot.2020.00017

[img]
Preview
Text
Juan2020 (2).pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY).

Download (1MB) | Preview

Based on interlimb neural coupling, gait robotic systems should produce walking-like movement in both upper and lower limbs for effective walking restoration. Two orthoses were previously designed in our lab to provide passive walking with arm swing. However, an active system for walking with arm swing is desirable to serve as a testbed for investigation of interlimb neural coupling in response to voluntary input. Given the important function of the ankle joint during normal walking, this work aimed to develop an improved rotational orthosis for walking with arm swing, which is called ROWAS II, and especially to develop and evaluate the algorithms for active ankle control. After description of the mechanical structure and control schemes of the overall ROWAS II system, the closed-loop position control and adjustable admittance control algorithms were firstly deduced, then simulated in Matlab/Simulink and finally implemented in the ROWAS II system. Six able-bodied participants were recruited to use the ROWAS II system in passive mode, and then to estimate the active ankle mechanism. It was showed that the closed-loop position control algorithms enabled the ROWAS II system to track the target arm-leg walking movement patterns well in passive mode, with the tracking error of each joint <0.7°. The adjustable admittance control algorithms enabled the participants to voluntarily adjust the ankle movement by exerting various active force. Higher admittance gains enabled the participants to more easily adjust the movement trajectory of the ankle mechanism. The ROWAS II system is technically feasible to produce walking-like movement in the bilateral upper and lower limbs in passive mode, and the ankle mechanism has technical potential to provide various active ankle training during gait rehabilitation. This novel ROWAS II system can serve as a testbed for further investigation of interlimb neural coupling in response to voluntary ankle movement and is technically feasible to provide a new training paradigm of walking with arm swing and active ankle control.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

School of Engineering and Computer Science

Name:

Mu, Zaile;
Zhang, Qiuju;
Yang, Guo-Yuan;
Xie, Le and
Fang, Juan

Subjects:

T Technology > TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery

ISSN:

1662-5218

Language:

English

Submitter:

Juan Fang

Date Deposited:

03 Feb 2021 09:58

Last Modified:

03 Feb 2021 09:58

Publisher DOI:

10.3389/fnbot.2020.00017

ARBOR DOI:

10.24451/arbor.14216

URI:

https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/14216

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
Provide Feedback