# US 11,998,460 B2 · Systems and methods for approximating musculoskeletal dynamics

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- Number: US 11,998,460 B2
- Document ID: US11998460B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/787,701
- Filed: 2020-12-19
- Published: 2023-01-26
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-12-20
- Assignees: West Virginia University; University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
- Applicants: West Virginia University; University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
- Inventors: Anton Sobinov; Sergiy Yakovenko; Valeriya Gritsenko; Matthew Boots; Robert Gaunt; Jennifer Collinger; Lee Fisher
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998460B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/72: Bioelectric control, e.g. myoelectric
- G16H 50/50: for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
- A61B 5/1107: {Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ or muscle}
- A61B 5/4519: {Muscles (measuring muscular strength A61B5/224; using electromyography [EMG] A61B5/389)}
- A61F 2/582: {Elbow joints}
- A61F 2/70: electrical
- B25J 9/1075: {with muscles or tendons}
- B25J 9/16: Program controls (total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, G05B19/418)
- G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)}
- G06F 3/015: {Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection}
- G16H 30/20: for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
- A61F 2/50: Prostheses not implantable in the body {(closure means for urethra or rectum or for artificial body openings therefor A61F2/0004)}
- A61F 2002/0894: {Muscles}
- A61F 2002/5066: {Muscles}
- A61F 2002/6827: {Feedback system for providing user sensation, e.g. by force, contact or position}
- A61F 2002/6872: {attached and mechanically operated by remaining muscle}
- A61F 2002/704: {computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control}
- A61H 2230/605: used as a control parameter for the apparatus
- A63B 2230/605: used as a control parameter for the apparatus
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N)
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a biomimetic controller comprising a processor and a memory;
machine-readable instructions stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, cause the biomimetic controller to at least:
receive a biological signal from a residual limb
expand the biological signal into one or more activation signals based at least in part on a scaling coefficient and a number of degrees of freedom (DOFs) associated with the biological signal;
perform a modeling algorithm that transforms the one or more activation signals into one or more intended motion signals; and
perform a control algorithm that transforms the intended motion signals into control signals; and
send the control signals to a controlled device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the control signals cause the controlled device to perform one or more tasks with a number of degrees of freedom (DOFs), and wherein the number of DOFs is greater than or equal to three.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the control signals cause the controlled device to perform one or more tasks with at least four DOFs with a loop time that is less than 2 milliseconds (ms).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled device is an active assistive device selected from a list comprising an exoskeleton system and a muscle stimulation system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled device is a computer interface device selected from a list comprising a gaming controller system, a gesture-based interactive system, a drone and a robot.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled device is a virtual reality (VR) prosthesis system.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled device is a prosthetic limb.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controlled device comprises one of a virtual reality (VR) prosthesis system and a prosthetic limb, the system further comprising:
a switching device, the VR prosthesis system and the prosthetic limb being in communication with the biomimetic controller via the switching device when the switching device is in first and second switching configurations, respectively, wherein when the switching device is in the first switching configuration, the VR prosthesis system receives the control signals from the biomimetic controller and performs one or more tasks in accordance with the control signals, and wherein when the switching device is in the second switching configuration, the prosthetic limb receives the control signals from the biomimetic controller to perform said one or more tasks in accordance with the control signals.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein first and second sets of feedback signals are output from the VR prosthesis system and the prosthetic limb, respectively, when the switching device is in the first and second switching configurations, respectively, each of the first and second sets of feedback signals describing a virtual motion within the VR prosthesis system and an actual motion of the prosthetic limb, respectively, the first and second sets of feedback signals being fed back to the processor when the switching device is in the first and second switching configurations, respectively, and being used by the processor to transform the biological signal into the one or more activation signals.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein third and fourth sets of feedback signals are output from the modeling algorithm and the prosthetic limb, respectively, and wherein the biomimetic controller further comprises:
a polynomial approximation (Poly) block, the Poly block being in communication with the output of the modeling algorithm when the switching device is in the first switching configuration to receive the third set of feedback signals, the Poly block being in communication with the prosthetic limb when the switching device is in the second switching configuration to receive the fourth set of feedback signals from the prosthetic limb, the Poly block using the third and fourth sets of feedback signals when the switching device is in the first and second switching configurations, respectively, to approximate muscle dynamics that are received by the biomimetic controller and used to generate the intended motion signals.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, further comprising:
at least one instrumented object in communication with the VR prosthesis system and the prosthetic limb, said at least one instrumented object measuring motions of virtual objects that are manipulated by the VR prosthesis system when the switching device is in the first switching configuration and outputting a first set of feedback signals, said at least one instrumented object measuring motions of real or virtual objects that are manipulated by the prosthetic limb when the switching device is in the second switching configuration and outputting a second set of feedback signals, the first and second sets of feedback signals being fed back to the processor and used by the processor to transform the biological signal into the one or more activation signals.

### Claim 12

A method for controlling a device comprising:
performing a signal processing algorithm that processes a biological signal received from a residual limb to expand the biological signal into one or more activation signals based at least in part on a scaling coefficient and a number of degrees of freedom (DOFs) associated with the biological signal;
performing a modeling algorithm that transforms the one or more activation signals into intended motion signals;
performing a control algorithm that transforms the intended motion signals into control signals; and
sending the control signals to a controlled device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the control signals cause the controlled device to perform said one or more tasks with a number of degrees of freedom (DOFs), and wherein the number of DOFs is greater than or equal to three.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the control signals cause the controlled device to perform said one or more tasks with at least four DOFs with a loop time that is less than 2 milliseconds (ms).

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the controlled device is an active assistive device selected from a list comprising an exoskeleton system and a muscle stimulation system.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the controlled device is a computer interface device selected from a list comprising a gaming controller system, a gesture-based interactive system, a drone and a robot.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the controlled device is a virtual reality (VR) prosthesis system or a prosthetic limb.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the controlled device comprises one of a virtual reality (VR) prosthesis system and a prosthetic limb, the method further comprising:
with a switching device of the system, placing the VR prosthesis system and the prosthetic limb in communication with a prosthesis controller performing the control algorithm when the switching device is in first and second switching configurations, respectively, wherein when the switching device is in the first switching configuration, the VR prosthesis system receives the control signals from the prosthesis controller and performs said one or more tasks in accordance with the control signals, and wherein when the switching device is in the second switching configuration, the prosthetic limb receives the control signals from the prosthesis controller to perform said one or more tasks in accordance with the control signals.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein first and second sets of feedback signals are output from the VR prosthesis system and the prosthetic limb, respectively, when the switching device is in the first and second switching configurations, respectively, each of the first and second sets of feedback signals describing a virtual motion within the VR prosthesis system and an actual motion of the prosthetic limb, respectively, the method further comprising:
feeding back the first and second sets of feedback signals to the signal processing algorithm when the switching device is in the first and second switching configurations, respectively; and
using the first and second sets of feedback signals to transform the biological signal into the one or more activation signals.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein third and fourth sets of feedback signals are output from the modeling algorithm and the prosthetic limb, respectively, and wherein the method further comprises:
with a polynomial approximation (Poly) block, the Poly block being in communication with the output of the modeling algorithm when the switching device is in the first switching configuration, receiving the third set of feedback signals and using the third set of feedback signals to approximate muscle dynamics that are outputted to the modeling algorithm and used to generate the intended motion signals; and
with the Poly block, the Poly block being in communication with the prosthetic limb when the switching device is in the second switching configuration, receiving the fourth set of feedback signals from the prosthetic limb and using the fourth set of feedback signals to approximate muscle dynamics that are outputted to the modeling algorithm and used to generate the intended motion signals.