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Assistance in balance recovery during gait using an ankle exoskeleton controlled with a neuromuscular controller

Dedden, G.F. (2017) Assistance in balance recovery during gait using an ankle exoskeleton controlled with a neuromuscular controller.

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Abstract:Exoskeletons are a solution for assistance during gait and stance for people with spinal cord injury, as long as the right controller is used. Most controllers are not able to adapt to balance disturbances, due to being trajectory controlled. The neuromuscular controller is not trajectory controlled, but reflex based controlled and could possibly adapt to different disturbances. The effect of disturbances to the neuromuscular controller is not yet widely researched , hence this research. The neuromuscular controller was tested on an ankle exoskeleton on balance control around the ankle when disturbed in forward and backward direction around the hip. Both simulations and experiments were used. The simulations consisted of forward simulations and data driven simulation, using preexisting push response data as input, both simulations were compared to the pre-existing experimental data. A healthy control subject was disturbed wearing an ankle exoskeleton using neuromuscular control. Responses were analysed on ankle torque and angle levels, EMG, controller variables and step variables. The results show us that the controller does not assist in balance recovery. A disturbance detection and a balance restoration module could be a solution as the controller is sufficient during normal gait but not during this specific disturbance.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:TNW: Science and Technology
Subject:50 technical science in general
Programme:Biomedical Engineering MSc (66226)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/73432
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