Low Cost and Intelligent Orthotics for Mobility Disorders
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Patients who have difficulty walking often use wheelchairs for mobility. It is a common and well-respected opinion that postponing the use of wheelchairs will retard the onset of secondary disabilities and diseases including hip, knee, and ankle contractures, frequent urinary tract infection, spasticity, and reduced heart and circulatory function. These injuries must be treated with hospital care, medications, and several surgical procedures. In a 25-30 year treatment program, the average cost of treatment to one patient is roughly $750,000, a heavy burden on both the patient and on healthcare resources. It is therefore essential to a patient’s health to remain upright and mobile. Physicians usually prescribe the use of orthotic systems to keep the patient upright and mobile. Unfortunately, current orthotic devices designed to help patients walk require a large amount of energy from the user and cannot be used as a device for long-term mobility. Many patients who begin with orthotic devices ultimately abandon them for a wheelchair because they are a faster and more energetically practical method of mobility. In fact, overweight and older patients use wheelchairs immediately since the existing orthoses have a higher metabolic cost of locomotion than the patient can provide. The goal of our proposed research is to develop a set of technologies that lead to creation of smart powered exoskeleton orthotic systems to be used by individuals with limited mobility. These exoskeletons are electrically powered and allow their wearers to walk upright without the energetic drain required when using the existing orthotic devices. We believe these smart exoskeleton systems will replace wheelchairs as well as enable individuals who cannot walk due to neurological disorders, muscular disorders or aging to walk again. We, at Berkeley, have a great deal of experience and knowledge in exoskeleton and bionics technology and have the potential to become a leader in the design of exoskeleton systems that improve the quality of life for millions of people with locomotive disabilities. One important issue that we keep in mind is that this research work is not just about walking; it is about creating independence using the latest state of technology in bionics. To this end, we intend to ensure that the user not only walk with the device gracefully, but also don and doff the device without aid from others. The device will be intelligent enough that user will be able to sit, stand, turn and step onto and off the curbs completely unaided. Our previous research work on exoskeleton systems for able-bodied people has moved beyond the laboratory and is now commercialized by Lockheed Martin. Additionally, the recent experiments with the use of our experimental exoskeletons at the University of Virginia and the UCSF medical school show strong feasibility of the use of this technology for post stroke and spinal cord injury patients.