Internet of medical things. Measurement of respiratory dynamics using wearable sensors in post-COVID-19 patients

Respiratory dynamics; Post-COVID-19 condition; Respiratory rateDinàmica respiratòria; Condició post-COVID-19; Freqüència respiratòriaDinámica respiratoria; Condición post-COVID-19; Frecuencia respiratoriaNowadays, the measurement of respiratory dynamics is underrated at clinical setting and in the daily life of a subject, still representing a challenge from a technical and medical point of view. In this article we propose a concept to measure some of its parameters, such as the respiratory rate (RR), using four inertial sensors. Two different experiments were performed to validate the concept. We analyzed the most suitable placement of each sensor to assess those features and studied the reliability of the system to measure abnormal parameters of respiration (tachypnea, bradypnea and breath holding). Finally, we measured post-COVID-19 patients, some of them with breath alterations after more than a year of the diagnosis. Experimental results showed that the proposed system could be potentially used to measure the respiratory dynamics at clinical setting. Moreover, while RR can be easily calculated by any sensor, other parameters need to be measured with a sensor in a particular position.Hoy en día la medición de la dinámica respiratoria está infravalorada en el ámbito clínico y en la vida diaria de un sujeto ,y sigue representando un reto desde el punto de vista técnico y médico. En este artículo proponemos un concepto para medir algunos de sus parámetros, como la frecuencia respiratoria (FR), utilizando cuatro sensore sinerciales. Se realizaron dos experimentos diferentes para validar el concepto. Analizamos la colocación más adecuada de cada sensor para evaluar esas características y estudiamos la fiabilidad del sistema para medir parámetros anormales de la respiración (taquipnea, bradipnea y retención de la respiración). Por último, realizamos mediciones en pacientes pos COVID-19, algunos de ellos con alteraciones respiratorias después de más de un año del diagnóstico. Los resultados experimentales mostraron que el sistema propuesto podría utilizarse potencialmente para medir la dinámica respiratoria en el ámbito clínico. Además, mientras que la FR puede calcularse fácilmente con cualquier sensor, otros parámetros deben medirse con un sensor en una posición determinada.This research was partially funding by RoboCity2030-DIHCM Madrid Robotics Digital Innovation Hub (“Robotica aplicada a la mejora de la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos, Fase IV”; S2018/NMT-4331), funded by “Programas de Actividades I+D en la Comunidad de Madrid” and cofunded by Structural Funds of the EU. J. Benito-Leon is supported by the National Institutes of ´ Health, Bethesda, MD, USA (NINDS # R01 NS39422), the European Commission (grant ICT-2011-287739, NeuroTREMOR), the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (grant RTC2015-3967-1, NetMD—platform for the tracking of movement disorder), and the Spanish Health Research Agency (grant FIS PI12/01602 and grant FIS PI16/00451)

Measurement and analysis of eye movements performance to predict healthy brain aging

Objective: This article presents the healthy pattern of eye movements (EM) in 145 healthy volunteers from 20 to 86 years old. Volunteers were classi ed into four groups according to their age. A saccadic paradigm, in horizontal and vertical axes, was performed. We described a pattern behavior in healthy volunteers to demonstrate that it can be used to measure the aging and functionality of the brain. Methods: A gaze-tracker based in video-oculography technology was used. Before EM tests, clinical data were collected, participants performed a cognitive test to discard subtle abnormalities and signed an informed consent form. To demonstrate the relationship between EM and brain aging, a linear or quadratic model was computed and statistical analysis among groups was presented. Conclusion: EM variables could be considered as biomarkers to measure the aging effect and functionality of the brain. Video-oculography is a suitable technique for measuring EM in clinical practice. Signi cance: The ocular healthy pattern as well as the methodology followed in this clinical study, is the base for ongoing studies aiming to incorporate EM analysis at routine practice as markers in early diagnosis for patients with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's dementia or Parkinson's disease.This study was supported by the Science, Innovation and University Minister under Grant SNEO 20151101, Spain Government. The authors are most grateful to all healthy volunteers that participated in this study.Peer reviewe

ALICE: Conceptual Development of a Lower Limb Exoskeleton Robot Driven by an On-Board Musculoskeletal Simulator

Objective: In this article, we present the conceptual development of a robotics platform, called ALICE (Assistive Lower Limb Controlled Exoskeleton), for kinetic and kinematic gait characterization. The ALICE platform includes a robotics wearable exoskeleton and an on-board muscle driven simulator to estimate the user’s kinetic parameters. Background: Even when the kinematics patterns of the human gait are well studied and reported in the literature, there exists a considerable intra-subject variability in the kinetics of the movements. ALICE aims to be an advanced mechanical sensor that allows us to compute real-time information of both kinetic and kinematic data, opening up a new personalized rehabilitation concept. Methodology: We developed a full muscle driven simulator in an open source environment and validated it with real gait data obtained from patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. After that, we designed, modeled, and controlled a 6 DoF lower limb exoskeleton with inertial measurement units and a position/velocity sensor in each actuator. Significance: This novel concept aims to become a tool for improving the diagnosis of pathological gait and to design personalized robotics rehabilitation therapies. Conclusion: ALICE is the first robotics platform automatically adapted to the kinetic and kinematic gait parameters of each patient.Peer reviewe

Dynamic Modeling and Passivity-Based Control of an RV-3SB Robot

This paper shows the dynamic modeling and design of a passivity-based controller for the RV-3SB robot. Firstly, the dynamic modeling of a Mitsubishi RV-3SB robot is conducted using Euler–Lagrange formulation in order to obtain a decoupled dynamic model, considering the actuator orientation besides the position of the analyzed robot. It is important to remark that the dynamic model of the RV-3SB robot is conducted based on kinematic model obtention, which is developed by the implementation of screw theory. Then, the passivity-based controller is obtained by separating the end effector variables and the actuator variables by making an appropriate coordinate transformation. The passivity-based controller is obtained by selecting an appropriate storage function, and by using Lyapunov theory, the passivity-based control law is obtained in order to drive the error variable, which is the difference between the measured end effector position variable and the desired end effector position variable. The passivity-based controller makes the error variable reach the origin in finite time, taking into consideration the dissipation properties of the proposed controller in order to stabilize the desired end effector position. A numerical simulation experiment is performed in order to validate the theoretical results obtained in this research. Using numerical experimentation, it is verified that the proposed control strategy is efficient and effective in driving the error variable to the origin in comparison with other modified techniques found in the literature. Finally, an appropriate discussion and conclusion of this research study are provided

Exoskeleton robots for rehabilitation and healthcare devices

This book addresses cutting-edge topics in robotics and related technologies for rehabilitation, covering basic concepts and providing the reader with the information they need to solve various practical problems. Intended as a reference guide to the application of robotics in rehabilitation, it covers e.g. musculoskeletal modelling, gait analysis, biomechanics, robotics modelling and simulation, sensors, wearable devices, and the Internet of Medical Things

OSCANN: Technical characterization of a novel gaze tracking analyzer

Eye-movement analysis has grown exponentially in recent decades. The reason is that abnormalities in oculomotor movements are usually symptoms of injuries in the nervous system. This paper presents a novel regulated solution named OSCANN. OSCANN aims at providing an innovative tool for the control, management and visualization of oculomotor neurological examinations. This solution utilizes an eye-tracker sensor based on video electro-oculography (VOG) technology to capture eye movements and store them in video files. Such a sensor can store images at a rate of 100 frames per second. A characterization study was performed using twenty-two volunteers (13 male, 9 female, ages 22–45 years, mean 29.3 years, SD = 6.7) to assess the accuracy and precision specifications of OSCANN during oculomotor movement analysis. The accuracy was evaluated based on the offset, whereas precision was estimated with Root Means Square (RMS). Such a study reported values lower than 0.4° and 0.03° of accuracy and precision, respectively. These results suggest that OSCANN can be considered as a powerful tool to measure oculomotor movement alterations involved in some neurological disease progression.This work was supported by grants from the Inncorpora-Torres Quevedo Program (Reference PTQ-15-08074 to E.H.) of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and CompetitivenessPeer Reviewe

Development of an Artificial Intelligent Lighting System for Protected Crops

[ES] En este artículo se presenta el desarrollo hardware y software de un sistema de iluminación artificial para cultivos protegidos. El sistema consta de un conjunto de lámparas, circuitos de control de potencia y un sensor de intensidad lumínica, que junto al software desarrollado en LabVIEW®, permiten llevar a cabo el control sobre la cantidad de energía irradiada durante todo el proceso de cultivo teniendo en consideración la forma en que esta energía se distribuye en cada fotoperiodo. Todo este proceso de control se realiza en un ordenador el cual se comunica con un dispositivo Arduino MEGA que cumple la función de tarjeta de adquisición de datos. Para programar el funcionamiento del sistema de control se diseña una interfaz que facilita al usuario la introducción de parámetros y la visualización de información del funcionamiento del sistema. Además, permite seleccionar la estrategia de control con el que se desea controlar el sistema pudiendo elegir entre un control predictivo o un control PD. Ambos algoritmos hacen uso de un modelo matemático de las lámparas el cual se encarga de transformar las señales generadas por los controladores en señales digitales que gobiernan el funcionamiento de la electrónica implementada. Finalmente, se analizan los resultados experimentales obtenidos en diversas pruebas realizadas haciendo uso de ambos algoritmos de control comparando los beneficios e inconvenientes de cada controlador.[EN] This article describes the hardware and software development of an artificial lighting system for protected crops. The system consists of a set of lamps, power control circuits and light intensity sensor, which together with a software developed in LabVIEW® allow to carry out the control over the amount of energy radiated throughout the cultivation process taking into consideration how this energy is distributed in each photoperiod. All this monitoring process takes place in a computer which is connected to an Arduino MEGA device serves as data acquisition card. To program the operation of the control system an interface is designed that enables the user to input parameters and display the system operating information. It also allows selecting the appropriate control strategy with a choice of selecting a predictive control or PD control system. Both algorithms make use of a mathematical model of the lamps which is responsible for transforming the signals generated by the drivers in digital signals that govern the operation of the implemented electronic system. Finally, the experimental results are analysed in various tests using both control algorithms to show the benefits and disadvantages of each controller.Los autores desean agradecer el apoyo y la financiación concedida por el Departamento de Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica, Automática y Física Aplicada de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería y Diseño Industrial de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.Al-Hadithi, BM.; García Cena, CE.; Cedazo León, R.; Loor Loor, C. (2016). Desarrollo de un Sistema de Iluminación Artificial Inteligente para Cultivos Protegidos. Revista Iberoamericana de Automática e Informática industrial. 13(4):421-429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riai.2016.07.005OJS421429134Astrom, K. J., and T Hagglundruna. "PID Controllers: Theory, Design and Tuning." ISA: The Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society; 2 Edition, ISBN-10: 1556175167, 1995.Balas, M.M. "Modeling Passive Greenhouses. The Sun's Influence." INES 2008. Intelligent Engineering Systems, IEEE. Miami, FL, 2008.Camacho, E. F., and C. Bordons. Model Predictive Control. 2nd Edition, Springer-Verlag, 2004.Coelho, J.P., P.B. de Moura Oliveira, and J. Boaventura Cunha. "Greenhouse air temperature predictive control using the particle swarm optimisationalgorithm." In Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. Bragança: Elservier, 2005.Fernandez Diaz, Alberto. Diseño de un controlador climatico para un invernadero.Madrid: Escuela Universitaria de Ingenieria Tecnica Industrial, 2011.Gerhard, Buck-Sorlin, Reinhard Hemmerling, Jan Vos, and Pieter de Visser. "Modelling of Spatial Light Distribution in the Greenhouse: Description of the Model." Plant Growth Modeling, Simulation, Visualization and Applications (PMA), 2009 Third International Symposium on. Beijing: IEEE, 2009. 79-86.Guofang, Li, Qi Yubin, and Liu Shengtao. "Remote monitoring system of greenhouse environment based on LabVIEW." Computer Design and Applications (ICCDA), 2010 International Conference on. Qinhuangdao: IEEE, 2010. 89-92.Guzman, J L, and F Rodriguez. "Laboratorio virtual para la enseñanza de control climatico de invernaderos." RIAI (RIAI), 2005: 88-92.Huang, Yuehua, Lei Wu, and Jie Zhu. "Research of fuzzy control system about greenhouse supplement light lamps based on singlechip microcomputer." Intelligent Control and Automation (WCICA), 2010 8th World Congress on. Jinan: IEEE, 2010. 3751- 3754.Li, Ying. "A Further Study on the Representation Method of Plant Photosynthetic Capacity Based on Unsaturated Light-Induced Delayed Fluorescence Intensity." Photonics and Optoelectronics (SOPO), 2011 Symposium on. Wuhan: IEEE, 2011. 5.Loor Loor, Carlos. "Puesta en Marcha de un Sistema de Medición de Humedad y Temperatura en un Invernadero." Madrid, 2013.Maciejowski, J.M. Predictive Control with Constraints. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002.Martinez, M, X Blanco, J M Herrero, C Ramos, and J Sanchis. "Monitorizacion y control de procesos. Una vision teóricopractica aplicada a invernaderos." RIAI, 2005: 5-24.Mayne, D. Q., J. B. Rawlings, C. V. Rao, and P. O. M. Scokaert. "Constrained model predictive control: Stability and optimality." 2000: 330-344.Ogata, Katsuhiko. "Controladores PID e introducción al control robusto." In Ingenieria de Control Moderna, by Katsuhiko Ogata, 987. Minnesota: Pearson, 1998.Rawlings, J. B., and D. Q. Mayne. Model Predictive Control: Theory and Design. 1st Edition, Nob-Hill Publishing, 2009.Valero Muñoz, Antonio. "Fotometría." In Principios de color y holopintura, by Antonio Valero Muñoz, 420. San Vicente Alicante: Club Universitario, 2011.Wang, Shoubing. "An Intelligent Controlling System for LED Plant Supplemental Lighting Greenhouse." Photonics and Optoelectronics (SOPO), 2012 Symposium on. Shanghai: eeexplorer, 2012. 1 - 3.Yuanping, Li, Huacai Chen, Huihua Ji, Shoubing Wang, and Zhouhong Zhu. "Effect of LED Supplemental Illumination on the Growth of Strawberry Plants." Photonics and Optoelectronics (SOPO), 2012 Symposium on. Shanghai: IEEE, 2012. 1-4

Method to Develop Legs for Underwater Robots: From Multibody Dynamics with Experimental Data to Mechatronic Implementation

Exploration of the seabed may be complex, and different parameters must be considered for a robotic system to achieve tasks in this environment, such as soil characteristics, seabed gait, and hydrodynamic force in this extreme environment. This paper presents a gait simulation of a quadrupedal robot used on a typical terrigenous sediment seabed, considering the mechanical properties of the type of soil, stiffness, and damping and friction coefficients, referenced with the specialized literature and applied in a computational multibody model with many experimental data in a specific underwater environment to avoi hydrodynamic effects. The requirements of the positions and torque in the robot’s active joints are presented in accordance with a 5R mechanism for the leg and the natural pattern shown in the gait of a dog on the ground. These simulation results are helpful for the design of a testbed, with a leg prototype and its respective hardware and software architecture and a subsequent comparison with the real results

An Intelligent Algorithm for Decision Making System and Control of the GEMMA Guide Paradigm Using the Fuzzy Petri Nets Approach

The aim of this article is to present the fuzzy Petri net algorithm and its implementation on the Guide d’etude des modes de marche et d’arrêt (GEMMA) guide paradigm. Additionally, this article presents a brief description of the GEMMA guide paradigm, the fuzzy logic approach, the Petri nets theory, and fuzzy Petri nets. Each algorithm is intended for a specific set of transitions, depending on their essential conditions. All these algorithms generate intelligent and safe control of the GEMMA guide paradigm in order to have the best control system for the machine. Moreover, the algorithms are able to make the best decision automatically depending on the machine’s situation and condition, something that allows the machine to be placed in the appropriate mode for each situation. The results show that the different fuzzy Petri net algorithms were working properly for the GEMMA guide paradigm and provided a proper solution for the automation of production systems

Distinctive Oculomotor Behaviors in Alzheimer's Disease and Frontotemporal Dementia

Oculomotor behavior can provide insight into the integrity of widespread cortical networks, which may contribute to the differential diagnosis between Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. Three groups of patients with Alzheimer's disease, behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) and a sample of cognitively unimpaired elders underwent an eye-tracking evaluation. All participants in the discovery sample, including controls, had a biomarker-supported diagnosis. Oculomotor correlates of neuropsychology and brain metabolism evaluated with 18F-FDG PET were explored. Machine-learning classification algorithms were trained for the differentiation between Alzheimer's disease, bvFTD and controls. A total of 93 subjects (33 Alzheimer's disease, 24 bvFTD, seven svPPA, and 29 controls) were included in the study. Alzheimer's disease was the most impaired group in all tests and displayed specific abnormalities in some visually-guided saccade parameters, as pursuit error and horizontal prosaccade latency, which are theoretically closely linked to posterior brain regions. BvFTD patients showed deficits especially in the most cognitively demanding tasks, the antisaccade and memory saccade tests, which require a fine control from frontal lobe regions. SvPPA patients performed similarly to controls in most parameters except for a lower number of correct memory saccades. Pursuit error was significantly correlated with cognitive measures of constructional praxis and executive function and metabolism in right posterior middle temporal gyrus. The classification algorithms yielded an area under the curve of 97.5% for the differentiation of Alzheimer's disease vs. controls, 96.7% for bvFTD vs. controls, and 92.5% for Alzheimer's disease vs. bvFTD. In conclusion, patients with Alzheimer's disease, bvFTD and svPPA exhibit differentiating oculomotor patterns which reflect the characteristic neuroanatomical distribution of pathology of each disease, and therefore its assessment can be useful in their diagnostic work-up. Machine learning approaches can facilitate the applicability of eye-tracking in clinical practice