A Bioactuator-Driven Ankle Dorsiflexor Unit

生物执行器驱动的踝背屈肌单元

• 批准号: 7050658
• 负责人: BRADLEY D VEATCH
• 金额: $ 12.44万
• 依托单位: ADA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-04-03 至 2007-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7050658
• 关键词: ankle; assistive device /technology; bioengineering /biomedical engineering; biomaterials; biomechanics; biomedical equipment development; biotechnology; electronic stimulator; foot; functional ability; gait; medical rehabilitation related tag; orthotics; phantom model; polymers; portable biomedical equipment; rehabilitation; tensile strength

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A significant number of individuals in the U.S. are affected by diseases and injuries that give rise to a troublesome condition called foot drop. Diabetes mellitus, dysvascular diseases, peripheral neuropathies, and other conditions render some individuals unable to lift their foot effectively during their gait cycle, leaving them susceptible to falling or injury. Currently, ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are commonly used to orient the foot more favorably for ambulation, and functional electrical stimulation techniques are also being tried with some success. For some individuals, however, these approaches are not suitable or involve unacceptable medical risks. An attractive solution is an externally worn, easily donned system that restores coordinated powered ankle dorsiflexion in time with the wearer's natural gait cycle. In this three phase research program, ADA will leverage previous successful research with electroactive polymer actuators to develop such an ankle dorsiflexion system. Through earlier research funded by the NIH, ADA has demonstrated that its modular bioactuator technology-effectively prosthetic muscles-can power full-scale human upper-limb prosthetic appliances. The natural extension of this work to address the problem of foot drop was originally suggested by ADA'S network of supporting clinicians with the concurrence of the NIH's technical reviewers. In Phase I, ADA will demonstrate the technical feasibility of using electroactive polymer actuators to dorsiflex a simulated human ankle. Phase II will encompass the development of a complete functional system and clinical performance validations using human volunteer subjects. Commercialization will follow in Phase III, with the release of an ankle dorsiflexor product clinicians can prescribe for patients affected by foot drop.

描述（由申请人提供）：在美国，有相当多的人患有疾病和损伤，这些疾病和损伤会导致一种称为足下垂的麻烦状况。糖尿病、血管疾病、周围神经病变和其他病症使一些人在步态周期中无法有效抬起脚，从而容易跌倒或受伤。目前，踝足矫形器（AFO）通常用于使足部更有利于行走，并且功能性电刺激技术也正在尝试中并取得了一些成功。然而，对于某些人来说，这些方法不合适或涉及不可接受的医疗风险。一个有吸引力的解决方案是一种外部佩戴、易于穿戴的系统，该系统可以根据佩戴者的自然步态周期及时恢复协调的动力踝背屈。在这个三阶段的研究计划中，ADA 将利用之前关于电活性聚合物致动器的成功研究来开发这样的踝背屈系统。通过美国国立卫生研究院 (NIH) 资助的早期研究，ADA 已证明其模块化生物致动器技术（有效的假肢肌肉）可以为全尺寸人类上肢假肢装置提供动力。这项工作自然延伸到解决足下垂问题最初是由 ADA 的临床医生支持网络提出的，并得到了 NIH 技术审查人员的同意。在第一阶段，ADA 将展示使用电活性聚合物致动器使模拟人脚踝背屈的技术可行性。第二阶段将包括开发完整的功能系统以及使用人类志愿者受试者进行临床性能验证。商业化将在第三阶段进行，届时将发布踝背屈肌产品，临床医生可以为足下垂的患者开处方。