Now showing 1 - 10 of 12
  • Publication
    PowerGrasp: Development Aspects for Arm Support Systems
    ( 2022)
    Goppold, J.-P.
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    Kuschan, J.
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    Schmidt, H.
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    Krüger, J.
    Exoskeletons can support workers on physically demanding tasks, but in industry they lack of acceptance. This contribution gives an insight into design aspects for upper body exoskeletons, especially how active exoskeletons for industrial applications differ from military and medical use-cases. To overcome typical rigid exoskeleton problems, we suggest the use of modular soft-exosuit support systems and therefore checked different types of soft actuation principles for their eligibility for the use on upper body joints. Most promising approach is using two-layered actuators sting of robust fabric with embedded rubber tubes as pressure chambers. By inflating the tubes, it is possible to vary the stiffness of the chambers, which can be effectively used to generate assisting forces and moments at human joints (shoulder, elbow, wrist, finger).
  • Publication
    Let's do this together: Bi-Manu-Interact, a novel device for studying human haptic interactive behavior
    ( 2017)
    Ivanova, E.
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    Krause, A.
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    Schälicke, M.
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    Schellhardt, F.
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    Jankowski, N.
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    Achner, J.
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    Schmidt, H.
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    Joebges, M.
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    Krüger, J.
    Our area of interest is robotic-based rehabilitation after stroke, and our goal is to help patients achieve optimal motor learning during high-intensity repetitive movement training through the assistance of robots. It is important, that the robotic assistance is adapted to the patients' abilities, thereby ensuring that the device is only supporting the patient as necessary ('assist-as-needed'). We hypothesize that natural and learning-effective human-machine interaction can be achieved by programming the robot's control, so that it emulates how a physiotherapist adaptively supports the patients' limb movement during stroke rehabilitation. This paper introduces the design of a novel interactive device Bi-Manu-Interact. This device is suited to be used as an experimental setup for the investigation of haptic human-human interaction and for collecting data to model therapists' haptic behavior. In this paper, we present mechanical and sensory specifications as well as task s visualizations for future investigations. Results of a pilot clinical evaluation of the Bi-Manu-Interact with nine stroke patients are also presented in this work.
  • Publication
    Optimal torque adaptation in bimanual assisted rehabilitation
    ( 2012)
    Steingräber, R.
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    Schmidt, H.
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    Krüger, J.
  • Publication
    Effect of different training modes on ground reaction forces during robot assisted floor walking and stair climbing
    ( 2009)
    Hussein, S.
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    Schmidt, H.
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    Hesse, S.
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    Krüger, J.
    The HapticWalker is a robotic walking simulator for neurological gait rehabilitation. The device is based on the end-effector principle, i.e. the patients' feet are fixed on two footplates, his trunk is secured via a suspension harness. The footplates (end-effectors) of the robot guide the feet of the patient on freely programmable trajectories. Currently two different training modes are provided for each foot trajectory on the HapticWalker. Firstly training trajectories based on real motion capture data can be used. Secondly the vertical center of mass (CoM) motion can be incorporated into the foot trajectory. The latter method leaves the absolute position of the CoM constant, while the relative movement between CoM and feet remains the same as in free walking. Thereby the v ertical CoM motion can be actively supported by using a fixed passive suspension, any type of controlled body weight support will then be accomplished via force controlled footplates. To characterize the training on the machine in position controlled mode, muscle activities as well as ground reaction force data of healthy subjects were collected. This article presents preliminary results from the investigation of ground reaction force data of healthy subjects. Therefore data of 10 healthy subjects was used to compare HapticWalker training modes vs. free walking on level ground and upstairs without any assistive devices and the aforementioned two HapticWalker training modes against each other. Amplitude and timing of force peaks during heel strike, foot flat and push off in vertical ground reaction forces were used for the assessment. In spite of a footplate, which does not provide a separate metatarsal joint for relative motion between fore and hind foot, during heel strike and push off the known characteristic peaks at the beginning and the end of the stance phase can be clearly distinguished. Though compared to free walking a slower and premature rise and slower decline of ground reaction for- ces can be seen due to the stiff guidance of the feet in position controlled mode. No significant differences appeared between the two described HapticWalker training modes.
  • Publication
    Multimodal biofeedback architecture for an electromechanical gait rehabilitation device
    ( 2009)
    Hussein, S.
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    Schmidt, H.
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    Hesse, S.
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    Krüger, J.
  • Publication
    Adaptive control of an end-effector based electromechanical gait rehabilitation device
    ( 2009)
    Hussein, S.
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    Schmidt, H.
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    Krüger, J.
    In industrialized countries stroke is the major cause for physical disabilities in adults. In various clinical studies gait therapy with the help of the electromechanical Gait Trainer GT-I proved to enhance the rehabilitation outcome for subacute stroke patients. This paper presents control methods that were developed to enable variability during treatment in order to further improve gait therapy with this class of devices. The algorithms suitable for the Gait Trainer GT-I are analyzed in a simulation study. Therefore models which simulate the practicing subjects behaviour were developed. A purely mechanical mass-damper system models the passive subjects behaviour while motor learning models were adopted to simulate patient adaptation different types of footplate gui dance characteristics. Several adaptive approaches have been developed for other rehabilitation devices in the past. In this work two controllers were developed and evaluated. The first features a one dimensional control window along the footplate trajectory within which the patient is only slightly guided. Outside the window a force field draws the subject back to the window. The second algorithm extends the window controller with a human motor learning strategy for to adapt the window size and thereby the assistance provided to the subjects. They were tested in a simulation study with different human behaviour models, the results are presented in this paper.
  • Publication
    Ground reaction forces during different floor walking in robot assisted gait training
    ( 2009)
    Hussein, S.
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    Schmidt, H.
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    Hesse, S.
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    Krüger, J.
  • Publication
    Methode zur initialen Posenschätzung für modellbasiertes 3D Personentracking auf Basis von Tiefendaten
    ( 2008)
    Radmer, J.
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    Schmidt, H.
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    Krüger, J.
    In diesem Beitrag wird ein Ansatz vorgestellt, der eine automatisiert unterstützte initiale Posenschätzung eines Modells für eine Regression von Modell in Tiefendaten ermöglicht. Die Motivation hierfür beruht in der Tatsache, dass das für die Regression verwendete Iterative- Closest-Points (ICP)-Verfahren gegen lokale Minima eines Fehlermaßes konvergiert und somit eine möglichst gute initiale Annäherung zwischen der tatsächlichen über Tiefendaten abgebildeten Körperpose und der Körperpose des Personenmodells erforderlich ist Die Basis für die Schätzung der initialen Pose beruht auf den Objektkanten, die im Zuge eines Vorverarbeitungsschrittes zur Unterdrückung von so genannten Flying Pixeln bestimmt werden. Dies ermöglicht ein vereinfachtes initiales Parametrisieren des Modells zur Reduktion der Rüstzeit des 3D Personentrackingsystems zur klinischen Ganganalyse.
  • Publication
    Muscle activation patterns of healthy subjects during floor walking and stair climbing on an end-effector-based gait rehabilitation robot
    ( 2007)
    Schmidt, H.
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    Volkmar, M.
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    Werner, C.
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    Helmich, I.
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    Piorko, F.
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    Krüger, J.
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    Hesse, S.
    A major criterion for the application of rehabilitation robots in gait therapy is the question to what extent the machine is able to facilitate physiologically correct muscle activation patters in the patients leg muscles in order to achieve an optimal gait training effect The EMG data presented in this paper is based on intermediate results of a study with 8 healthy subjects (5 male, 3 female) to evaluate the end-effector based gait rehabilitation robot HapticWalker in position controlled mode. The study investigated two different walking trajectories (floor, upstairs) at three different cadences (45, 60, 90 steps/min) in three different modes (free walking, HapticWalker with vertical CoM motion, HapticWalker without vertical CoM motion). Results show that muscle EMGs measured from all relevant leg muscles have the same phasic and rhythmic muscle activation patterns on the HapticWalker as with free walking. Even though there are differences in patterns of dedicated muscles, the authors observed reduced amplitudes and slightly delayed activation on the HapticWalker compared to free walking. No differences in EMGs were observed between the two different HapticWalker modes (with vertical CoM motion, cancelled CoM motion), which might eliminate the need for an active trunk suspension system in the latter case. A passive patient lifter would significantly reduce the complexity of the machine construction, all advanced training modes (e.g. dynamic body weight reduction) could then be accomplished via compliant behavior of the freely programmable footplates. Numerous EMG measurements with healthy subjects and non-ambulatory stroke patients were performed on the predecessing electromechanical Gait Trainer GT I and showed that physiologically relevant findings from healthy subjects (e.g. correct phasic muscle activation) can be transferred to a certain extent to stroke patients, but nevertheless studies with stroke patients on the robotic gait trainer HapticWalke. Entnommen aus TEMA