I-Corps: Mechatronic Back Brace Commercial Development

I-Corps：机电一体化背撑商业开发

• 批准号: 1242797
• 负责人: Albert Shih
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-07-01 至 2013-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1242797&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Mechatronic; Back; Brace; Commercial

The activities described in this proposal will serve to advance the field of spinal orthotics through the further development and eventual commercialization of a thoracopelvic orthosis that reduces the muscle effort required to maintain flexed postures of the trunk. The device at the heart of this proposal is a novel thoracopelvic orthosis which incorporates a closed-loop control system to drive an electromechanical support structure that allows for the wearer to remain supported in a variety of postures. The continued development of this thoracopelvic orthosis will integrate knowledge from both biomechanics and robotics, and will expand the research and development of powered exoskeletons (a.k.a. "wearable robots") to include accurate following of spinal motion (cervical and lumbar, especially). The orthosis will initially be developed as a form of ergonomic support for surgeons and other highly-trained professionals that could reduce lost productivity and medical costs of this population. Eventually, the novel functionality of this orthosis could enhance general patient care through the creation of a new mode of orthotic treatment that serves as a "bridge therapy" between current orthotic treatment physical therapy; as the patient heals, a remote clinician could wirelessly reprogram the orthosis mechanical response (range of motion, mechanical stiffness/damping) that gradually reintroduces motion while lowering support, thus leaving the patient with a more normal level of spinal mobility and reduced need for further physical therapy.

该提案中描述的活动将通过进一步的开发和最终商业化来推动脊柱矫正的领域，从而减少维持躯干弯曲姿势所需的肌肉努力。该提案核心的设备是一种新型的胸腔矫形器，它结合了闭环控制系统，以驱动机电支撑结构，使佩戴者能够在各种姿势中保持支撑。这种胸腔矫形器的持续发展将整合来自生物力学和机器人技术的知识，并将扩大动力外骨骼的研究和开发（又称“可穿戴机器人”），包括脊柱运动的准确跟随（颈椎运动和腰部，特别是）。矫形器最初将作为对外科医生和其他受过良好训练的专业人员的人体工程学支持形式，这些形式可能会降低该人群的生产力和医疗费用。最终，这种矫形器的新功能可以通过创建一种新的矫形疗法模式来增强一般患者护理，该矫形疗法在当前的矫形物理疗法之间用作“桥梁疗法”。随着患者愈合的愈合，遥远的临床医生可以无线重新编程矫形器机械反应（运动范围，机械刚度/阻尼），该反应逐渐重新引入运动，同时降低支撑，从而使患者具有更正常的脊柱迁移率和进一步的需求。物理疗法。