Patent RU-2638276-C1 (RU)
Inventor: Mineev Sergej Alekseevich
IPC: A61F5/00
Filed: 2016-11-11
Granted: 2017-12-12
Abstract: FIELD: medicine. 
     SUBSTANCE: group of inventions can be used in exoskeletons of lower limbs with pneumatic, hydraulic or electric drives to ensure walking for users with fully or partially paralyzed lower limbs, as well as for rehabilitation of patients during walking skills restoration after traumas and diseases of varying severity. A method for generation of signals controlling lower limbs exoskeleton operation and specifying the required shaft rotation angle for at least one leg joint orthosis of the exoskeleton, by generating signals through the efforts of exoskeleton user by a signal generation means. Signals are generated in accordance with the condition for changing their amplitude in proportion to the change in the moment of force developed on the orthosis shaft. A method for manual control of the lower limb exoskeleton operation is also proposed by generating signals in accordance with the above method using at least one finger of the exoskeleton user. Signals amplitude is change in proportion to the change in the moment of force, developed at least one shaft of the exoskeleton leg joint orthosis by modifying the efforts exerted in turn on at least two force-measuring sensors using two finger phalanges of the exoskeleton user to rotate the orthosis shaft in two opposite directions. Lower limb exoskeleton operation control interface in the manual control mode contains a unit for generation of a manual control signal using the exoskeleton user to specify the range of angles of rotation of the shaft at least one of the exoskeleton leg joint orthosis required for walking and directed to at least one orthosis shaft drive. The unit for generation of a manual control signal using the exoskeleton user is based on at least two force-measuring sensors, for forces alternately rendered to the sensors when walking to generate signals with two phalanges of the user's finger with a possibility to rotate the orthosis shaft in two opposite directions. Force-measuring sensors are calibrated with a possibility of manual control signal generation with amplitudes, proportionate to the moments of forces developed on the orthosis shaft, and provided by a proportionate change of forces exerted on these sensors by the user's finger phalanges. Lower limb exoskeleton control interface in the software control mode contains at least one shaft angle sensor for at least one exoskeleton leg joint orthosis, a processor unit to generate signals specifying a software limited range of angles of rotation of the orthosis shaft based on the signals read from the sensor with a standalone tool to run basic software options for orthosis shaft turning under the main types of exoskeleton movements, including walking, and changes in rotation angle in the software control mode, and connected to at least one of the orthosis shaft drives. The proposed interface is equipped with an optional unit for manual control signals generation using the fingers of the exoskeleton user that specify the range of angles of orthosis shaft rotation required for walking in harsh conditions, coupled with the mentioned processor unit, optionally disabling the software control mode and engagement the manual control mode of the exoskeleton, and executed on the basis of at least two sensors measuring the force, alternately exerted on the sensors during walking to make them generate signals by two phalanges of the user's fingers with a possibility to rotate the orthosis shaft in two opposite directions. Force-measuring sensors are calibrated with a possibility of manual control signal generation with amplitudes, proportionate to the moments of forces developed on the orthosis shaft, and provided by a proportionate change. 
     EFFECT: application of the group of inventions will improve methods for generation of signals controlling lower limbs exoskeleton, operation, will improve the operational characteristics of the exoskeleton as a result of application of this method for signal generation at a higher ergonomic level of lower limbs exoskeleton control by generating signals that specify the required rotation angle for leg joints orthoses shafts of this exoskeleton, using the fingers of the exoskeleton user, implemented in the proposed lower limbs exoskeleton control interface in the manual control mode in conditions of qualitatively superior possibilities for overcoming thresholds, curbs and other uneven bearing surface, as well as by adjustment of the lower limbs exoskeleton operation during walking in complicated conditions during operation of the lower limbs exoskeleton control interface in the software control mode with optional generation of signals that specify leg joints orthoses shafts using the exoskeleton user's fingers, due to the mode of amplitude changing for the generated signals effectively approximated to the user physiology, proportional to the change in the moments of forces developed on the user's leg joints orthoses shafts. 
     17 cl, 6 dwg