Perry Bonnie E, Evans Emily K, Stokic Dobrivoje S
Center for Neuroscience and Neurological Recovery, Methodist Rehabilitation Center, 1350 East Woodrow Wilson Drive, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA.
J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2017 Feb 17;14(1):14. doi: 10.1186/s12984-017-0227-0.
Armeo®Spring exoskeleton is widely used for upper extremity rehabilitation; however, weight compensation provided by the device appears insufficiently characterized to fully utilize it in clinical and research settings.
Weight compensation was quantified by measuring static force in the sagittal plane with a load cell attached to the elbow joint of Armeo®Spring. All upper spring settings were examined in 5° increments at the minimum, maximum, and two intermediate upper and lower module length settings, while keeping the lower spring at minimum. The same measurements were made for minimum upper spring setting and maximum lower spring setting at minimum and maximum module lengths. Weight compensation was plotted against upper module angles, and slope was analyzed for each condition.
The Armeo®Spring design prompted defining the slack angle and exoskeleton balance angle, which, depending on spring and length settings, divide the operating range into different unloading and loading regions. Higher spring tensions and shorter module lengths provided greater unloading (≤6.32 kg of support). Weight compensation slope decreased faster with shorter length settings (minimum length = -0.082 ± 0.002 kg/°; maximum length = -0.046 ± 0.001 kg/°) independent of spring settings.
Understanding the impact of different settings on the Armeo®Spring weight compensation should help define best clinical practice and improve fidelity of research.
Armeo®Spring外骨骼广泛应用于上肢康复;然而,该设备提供的重量补偿特性似乎尚未得到充分描述,无法在临床和研究环境中充分利用。
通过将测力传感器连接到Armeo®Spring的肘关节来测量矢状面内的静力,从而对重量补偿进行量化。在最小、最大以及上下模块长度的两个中间设置下,以5°的增量检查所有上弹簧设置,同时将下弹簧保持在最小值。在最小和最大模块长度下,对上弹簧最小设置和下弹簧最大设置进行相同的测量。将重量补偿与上模块角度作图,并分析每种情况下的斜率。
Armeo®Spring设计促使定义了松弛角和外骨骼平衡角,根据弹簧和长度设置,这些角度将操作范围划分为不同的卸载和加载区域。更高的弹簧张力和更短的模块长度提供了更大的卸载量(≤6.32千克的支撑力)。与弹簧设置无关,较短的长度设置(最小长度=-0.082±0.002千克/°;最大长度=-0.046±0.001千克/°)下重量补偿斜率下降得更快。
了解不同设置对Armeo®Spring重量补偿的影响应有助于确定最佳临床实践并提高研究的准确性。