Climbing and Walking Robots

Nowadays robotics is one of the most dynamic fields of scientific researches. The shift of robotics researches from manufacturing to services applications is clear. During the last decades interest in studying climbing and walking robots has been increased. This increasing interest has been in many areas that most important ones of them are: mechanics, electronics, medical engineering, cybernetics, controls, and computers. Today’s climbing and walking robots are a combination of manipulative, perceptive, communicative, and cognitive abilities and they are capable of performing many tasks in industrial and non- industrial environments. Surveillance, planetary exploration, emergence rescue operations, reconnaissance, petrochemical applications, construction, entertainment, personal services, intervention in severe environments, transportation, medical and etc are some applications from a very diverse application fields of climbing and walking robots. By great progress in this area of robotics it is anticipated that next generation climbing and walking robots will enhance lives and will change the way the human works, thinks and makes decisions. This book presents the state of the art achievments, recent developments, applications and future challenges of climbing and walking robots. These are presented in 24 chapters by authors throughtot the world The book serves as a reference especially for the researchers who are interested in mobile robots. It also is useful for industrial engineers and graduate students in advanced study

Development of an Innovative Biomechanical Model for Clinical Gait Analysis

Work contained in this thesis describes a new biomechanical model for clinical gait analysis. Identified problems with current models are related to the subjective reasonableness of their underlying modelling assumptions and used to guide development of a new model. Gait scores were developed to evaluate alternative modelling solutions in terms of cycle average position, range, inter-cycle variability and movement pattern. An overly simple pro-forma model was developed to facilitate evaluation of the effects of complexity from alternative modelling approaches, both existing and newly developed. A clinical interpretation of Euler angles, widely used to describe joint orientations and movements, is presented. Leading directly from this interpretation, simple, joint-specific rules are derived that ensure calculated angles match clinical terminology. Other identified concerns are tackled on a per body-segment basis, with each segment presenting a different challenge. Identified problems with current trunk models were related to difficulties of orientating and tracking movement of the whole based on a selected sub-region. This was solved via the development of a more holistic solution, which additionally reduces the need for patient upper body exposure. For the pelvis and thigh segments, excessive soft tissue cover was identified as the major issue and resolved by the amalgamation of published methods with the novel introduction of fixed length thigh segments and a bespoke axial alignment calibration procedure. Foot model accuracy was improved by the application of bespoke calibration(s) that relates a defining flat foot posture to the position of surface markers, thus reducing the requirement for accurate placement over bony landmarks. Existing multi-segment foot models were grouped by a novel complexity index. Analysis of each group revealed an optimal balance with hind, medial forefoot, and lateral forefoot divisions. A model with this configuration was developed and outputs related to existing clinical terminology describing the foot shape

A Lower Limb Prosthesis with Active Alignment for Reduced Limb Loading

Over the past decade, the growing field of robotics has created new possibilities in lower limb prostheses. The focus of these new prostheses has been replicating the dynamics of the lost limb in order to restore gait of individuals with lower limb amputations to healthy norms. This places demanding loads on the residual limb. Compensation by the rest of body is high, causes overloading of intact joints and can lead to deterioration of mobility and overall health. Abnormalities remain present in the person’s gait, stemming from the loading of soft tissue and the altered anatomy of the affected limb. In this dissertation, an experimental prosthesis is developed with systematic, simulation based techniques. Kinematics and kinetics of the prosthesis design are altered in order to actively realign the limb in relation to the center of pressure during stance, allowing positive power to be generated by the prosthesis while actively reducing the magnitude of the sagittal moment transferred to the residual limb. Initial findings show that during walking with the experimental device compared to a daily use prosthesis, peak pressures on the residual limb are lowered by over 10% while maintaining walking speed

A biomechanical investigation of seated balance and upright mobility with a robotic exoskeleton in individuals with a spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a complex medical condition with multiple sequelae. The level and severity of a lesion will determine the degree of disability and associated co- morbidities, the most obvious of which is paralysis. Other concomitant issues, such as muscle contractures, poor seated posture and fear of falling, can also lead to a reduced quality of life. Although there is currently no cure for SCI, many of the comorbidities can be managed or mitigated through technology and physical rehabilitation practices.The aim of this thesis was to inform spinal cord injury (SCI) mobility rehabilitation, focusing on postural control and upright stepping using robotic assisted gait training (RAGT). A systematic review investigating RAGT use in SCI concluded that although RAGT has the potential to benefit upright locomotion of SCI individuals, it should not replace other therapies but should be incorporated into a multi-modality rehabilitation approach.Seated postural control, upper-body posture and fear-of-falling in SCI individuals were also explored. Stability performance and control demand were compared between high- and low-level injury groups as was fear-of-falling. An individualised limit of stability boundary (LOS) facilitated the differentiation between high- and low-level injuries during static tasks; however, its use during dynamic tasks was limited and potentially influenced by fear-of-falling.Few studies have quantified the user’s motion inside a lower limb robotic exoskeleton (LEXO), and none have reported marker placement repeatability. Standard error of measurement was reported for three-dimensional trunk and pelvic orientations and hip, knee and ankle angles in the sagittal plane during level walking. This revealed the marker set and placement to produce good levels of agreement between visits, with most values falling between the accepted standard of 2-5o. These findings indicated that the marker placement was repeatable and could be used in the subsequent chapters involving motion capture of overground walking.Three-dimensional gait parameters of able-bodied individuals walking with and without a LEXO at two speeds (comfortable (CMBL) and speed-matched (SLOW) to the LEXO) were investigated. Statistical parametric mapping revealed significantly different waveforms at the ANOVA level for all kinematic variables, however minimal differences in sagittal plane lower limb kinematics were identified between LEXO and SLOW gait, suggesting LEXO gait resembled slow walking when speed-matched. Altered kinematics of the pelvis and trunk during LEXO use suggest that overground exoskeletons may provide a training environment benefiting postural control training.Finally, the biomechanical characteristics of able-bodied and SCI users walking in an overground LEXO were investigated. Variables associated with neuroplasticity in SCI (hip extension and lower limb un-loading) were not significantly different between groups, indicating that afferent stimuli to facilitate neuroplastic adaptations in individuals with a SCI can be generated during LEXO gait. Upper-body orientation facilitated stepping and maintained balance, thereby requiring the participant’s active involvement.This thesis has provided evidence that LEXOs can deliver appropriate stimuli for upright stepping and that upper-body engagement can facilitate postural control training, potentially leading to improved seated postural control

Haemarthrosis of the ankle in haemophilia A and B: prevalence, impact and intervention

Haemophilia is an X-linked recessive genetic disorder characterised by bleeding within soft tissue and joints. Multi-joint disease is a common feature of severe haemophilia where the ankle is prone to haemarthrosis and haemarthropathy, but little is known about the effect on individual joints, impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and foot and ankle outcome measures. A multi-methods approach was used to improve the understanding of ankle haemarthrosis and resultant haemarthropathy. The prevalence of ankle haemarthrosis and incidence at individual joints with concurrent joint health in patients compliant with prophylaxis without an active inhibitor were investigated. Approximately 60% and 40% of people with haemophilia A and B respectively experienced a minimum of one haemarthrosis over the 12 month study period. Whilst haemarthrosis incidence at individual joints was similar, the ankle was the most affected by haemarthropathy. A multi-centre patient questionnaire of the impact of ankle haemarthrosis and haemarthropathy identified that HRQoL and foot and ankle outcome measures were poor regardless of haemophilia type, severity or treatment regime. A consultant survey identified adequate access to Musculoskeletal (MSK) services across the UK. However, only 12% and 49% of patients used footwear and foot orthoses respectively. Finally, a biomechanical study was established in a healthy cohort of males, the kinetic and kinematic effect of the Leeds Ankle Stabilising Enhanced Rocker intervention, a footwear and foot orthoses intervention used clinically in the management of haemophilia. Significant reductions in the primary outcome of ankle moment of force were reported when compared to a trainer, with a minimal effect on proximal joints. The work presented in this thesis improves the understanding of the current prevalence, incidence and impact of ankle haemarthrosis and haemarthropathy. Gaps in the access to MSK services have been identified and the mechanism of action of a targeted intervention has been established, providing a basis for future research in a pathological cohort with ankle haemarthropathy

Simulating a Flexible Robotic System based on Musculoskeletal Modeling

Humanoid robotics offers a unique research tool for understanding the human brain and body. The synthesis of human motion is a complex procedure that involves accurate reconstruction of movement sequences, modeling of musculoskeletal kinematics, dynamics and actuation, and characterization of reliable performance criteria. Many of these processes have much in common with the problems found in robotics research, with the recent advent of complex humanoid systems. This work presents the design and development of a new-generation bipedal robot. Its modeling and simulation has been realized by using an open-source software to create and analyze dynamic simulation of movement: OpenSim. Starting from a study by Fuben He, our model aims to be used as an innovative approach to the study of a such type of robot in which there are series elastic actuators represented by active and passive spring components in series with motors. It has provided of monoarticular and biarticular joint in a very similar manner to human musculoskeletal model. This thesis is only the starting point of a wide range of other possible future works: from the control structure completion and whole-body control application, to imitation learning and reinforcement learning for human locomotion, from motion test on at ground to motion test on rough ground, and obviously the transition from simulation to practice with a real elastic bipedal robot biologically-inspired that can move like a human bein