Treadmill training device adapted to provide targeted resistance to leg movement
AssigneeRehabilitation Institute of Chicago
InventorsMing Wu, Brian D. Schmit, T. George Hornby
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Abstract
A system and method are provided for targeted training of a person walking on a powered backward moving surface. Kinematic information of motor performance, such as ankle position and velocity, is measured throughout one or more phases of a gait cycle with a detector. The gait phase is determined, and a resistive/assistive force is applied to the leg that differs depending upon the gait phase and the measured kinematic information.
Claims20
A system for providing targeted training to a walking person, comprising:
- a powered backward moving surface for the person to walk on;
- a force-applying element for affixing to a leg of the person;
- a gait phase detector;
- a leg portion position sensor;
- a motor connected to the force-applying element, wherein the motor applies a resistive force to the force applying element;
- and
- a controller connected to the gait phase detector,
- the leg portion position or leg portion velocity sensor, and
- the motor,
- wherein the controller is configured to
- accept values related to a gait phase from the gait phase detector,
- accept values related to the leg portion position or leg portion velocity from the leg portion position sensor, and
- output a value related to the resistive force of the motor applied to the force-applying element based on the gait phase values and on the leg portion position values, thereby providing the targeted training to the person.
An apparatus for providing targeted training to a person volitionally moving their legs while walking on a powered backward moving surface, comprising:
- a holding element configured to receive a portion of a person's leg;
- a drive system that applies a resistive force to the holding element via a cable attached to the holding element and to the drive system;
- at least one position detector that determines at least one of the horizontal position and horizontal velocity of the person's leg throughout one or more phases of a gait cycle of the person while walking to obtain kinematic information regarding motor performance of the leg;
- a controller that:
- receives the kinematic information from the leg portion position sensor;
- determines a phase of the gait based on the received kinematic information;
- and
- controls the drive system to, in a swing phase of the gait, apply the resistive force to the leg via the cable to resist a forward swing movement of the leg in an amount that is based on the received kinematic information, thereby providing the targeted training to the person.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.