Enhancing Voluntary Motion in Broad Patient Populations With Modular Powered Orthoses
University of Michigan
33 participants
Jul 29, 2022
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
The overall goal of this project is to develop modular, lower-limb, powered orthoses that fit to user-specific weakened joints and control force/torque in a manner that enhances voluntary motion in broad patient populations. This project aims to establish feasibility of assisting different populations with these modular powered orthoses. The investigators hypothesize that assisting lower-limb musculature with modular powered orthoses will improve 1) lifting/lowering posture in able-bodied subjects and 2) functional outcomes in elderly subjects.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria6
- Aged between 18 to 65 years
- Weigh less than 250 lbs due to limitations in the design of the orthoses
- Ability to lift and lower a 10 kg weight using the neutral-spine squat technique for 10 repetitions
- Aged between 65 to 85 years
- Weigh less than 250 lbs due to limitations in the design of the orthoses
- Ability to walk 6 minutes without assistance from a person (may use walking aid)
Exclusion Criteria15
- Pregnant (self-report)
- Any significant neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disorder that would interfere with the study
- Prior history of chronic lower-back pain
- Unable to walk for 20 minutes
- History of any cardiovascular, vestibular, or visual diseases and/or impairments that may interfere with the study
- Cognitive deficits that would impair their ability to give informed consent or impair their ability to follow simple instructions during the experiments. Cognitive deficits will be determined by a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of <22.
- Adults with a known allergy to medical grade tape
- Pregnant (self-report)
- Significant pain due to arthritis or other joint problems that would limit their ability to walk
- Any recent lower-extremity fracture (within 3 months)
- Significant neurological (e.g., stroke), orthopedic, or cardiovascular disorder that may affect the ability to walk
- Advised by a physician not to walk or exercise
- Uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes
- Cognitive deficits or visual impairment that would impair their ability to give informed consent or impair their ability to follow simple instructions during the experiments. Cognitive deficits will be determined by a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of <22.
- Adults with a known allergy to medical grade tape
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Interventions
This study will investigate modular, lower-limb, powered orthoses that fit to user-specific weakened joints and control force/torque in a manner that enhances voluntary motion in broad patient populations. The central hypothesis is that high-torque, low-inertia motor systems controlled with energetic objectives will enable modular powered orthoses to partially assist the joints. High-torque electric motors combined with minimal transmissions can be freely rotated (i.e., backdriven) by human joints, allowing the use of an emerging torque control method called energy shaping to reduce the perceived weight/inertia of the body during any motion. By mounting these modular actuators to commercial orthoses, this technology will be easily prescribed/configured by clinicians.
Locations(1)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
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NCT05240014