West Virginia University

University of Pittsburgh

Matthew Boots

Sergiy Yakovenko

Anton Sobinov

Valeriya Gritsenko

Robert Gaunt

Jennifer Collinger

Kiril Tuntevski

Lee Fisher

Ryan Ellison

Russell Hardesty

A system and method for controlling a device, such as a virtual reality (VR) and/or a prosthetic limb are provided. A biomimetic controller of the system comprises a signal processor and a musculoskeletal model. The signal processor processes M biological signals received from a residual limb to transform the M biological signals into N activation signals, where M and N are integers and M is less than N. The musculoskeletal model transforms the N activation signals into intended motion signals. A prosthesis controller transforms the intended motion signals into three or more control signals that are outputted from an output port of the prosthesis controller. A controlled device receives the control signals and performs one or more tasks in accordance with the control signals.

Systems and methods for approximating musculoskeletal dynamics

An approximation method and system are provided for more quickly controlling a prosthetic or other device by reducing computational processing time in a muscle model that can be used to control the prosthetic. For a given muscle, the approximation method can quickly compute polynomial structures for a muscle length and for each associated moment arms, which may be used to generate a torque for a joint position of a physics model. The physics model, in turn, produces a next joint position and velocity data for driving a prosthetic. The approximation method expands the polynomial structures as long as expansion is possible and sufficiently beneficial. The computations can be performed quickly by expanding the polynomial structures in a way that constrains the muscle length polynomial to the moment arm polynomial structures, and vice versa.

Systems and methods are provided for enabling a split belt treadmill having two belts to self-pace. A feedback process estimates a first current step speed for a user on each belt by measuring stride length and step duration. A feed-forward process estimates a second current step speed for the user on each belt by measuring three forces and three moment components associated with foot contact with the belt. A command speed for each belt is produced by combining the first and second current step speeds with a Kalman filter. A belt speed associated with each belt is adjusted based upon the command speed.

Systems and methods for controlling a self-paced treadmill using predicted subject velocity

A system and method for quantitatively assessing the changes in control of asymmetric locomotor behavior of an animal comprising analyzing the phase modulation in response to imposed asymmetric stepping tasks for quantitatively assessing changes in control of asymmetric locomotor behavior. A walkway gait device is provided comprising an elevated grid having at least one platform having a face and at least two or more pegs located in front or back of said platform, wherein each peg has a pressure sensor or switch in communication with a detection unit for capturing the pressure detected by one or more of the pressure sensors or switches. Preferably, the grid of the walkway gait device has at least three platforms to form a closed path loop.

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Morgantown, WV, United States of America

Matthew Boots