US2007246334A1PendingUtilityA1

Foot-operated controller

39
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Oct 15, 2002Filed: Feb 14, 2007Published: Oct 25, 2007
Est. expiryOct 15, 2022(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jeffrey Elkins
A61F 2002/704G05B 2219/45172A61F 2002/7635A61F 2002/705A61F 2/70A61F 2/68
39
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A practical control device having up to eight independent channels of communication for simultaneously operating a plurality of electromechanical devices or for simultaneously performing a plurality of independent functions on an electromechanical device, such as a prosthetic hand, includes a foot-operated controller and a microprocessor. The foot-controller includes a plurality of pressure sensors mounted at selected locations on a substrate. The microprocessor converts sensor inputs from the foot-operated controller into commands for a controllable electromechanical device such as a prosthetic hand. Commands may be communicated via a radio transmitter or via hard-wiring.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A foot-operated controller comprising: 
 a shoe insole insert including a substrate having a plurality of pressure sensors mounted at selected locations on the substrate to facilitate control of a controllable device by application of pressure from selected parts of a human foot to the sensors; and    a microprocessor for receiving input from the sensors and converting the sensor inputs into commands for the controllable device.    
   
   
       2 . The foot-operated controller of  claim 1 , further comprising a radio transmitter for converting pressure exerted on the sensors by various parts of a foot into control signals that are broadcast to a receiver and transmitted to an electromechanical device.  
   
   
       3 . The foot-operated controller of  claim 1 , in which the microprocessor is hard-wired to the controllable device.  
   
   
       4 . The foot-operated controller of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot.  
   
   
       5 . The foot-operated controller of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal of a human foot.  
   
   
       6 . The foot-operated controller of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       7 . The foot-operated controller of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot, and at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal of a human foot.  
   
   
       8 . The foot-operated controller of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot, and at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       9 . The foot-operated controller of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal of a human foot, and at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       10 . The foot-operated controller of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot, at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal portion of a human foot, and at least a third sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       11 . A human controlled robotic system, comprising: 
 a mechanical device that performs automated physical tasks under direct human supervision;    a foot-operated controller including a shoe insole insert having a substrate and a plurality of pressure sensors mounted at selected locations on a substrate to facilitate control of the mechanical device by application of pressure from selected parts of a human foot to the sensors; and    a microprocessor for receiving input from the sensors and converting the sensor inputs into commands to the mechanical device.    
   
   
       12 . The human controlled robotic system of  claim 11 , wherein the mechanical device is a prosthetic hand.  
   
   
       13 . The human controlled robotic system of  claim 11 , wherein the mechanical device is an exoskeletal device.  
   
   
       14 . The human controlled robotic system of  claim 11 , wherein the mechanical device is a power-assisted glove.  
   
   
       15 . The human controlled robotic system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot.  
   
   
       16 . The human controlled robotic system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal of a human foot.  
   
   
       17 . The human controlled robotic system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       18 . The human controlled robotic system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot, and at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal of a human foot.  
   
   
       19 . The human controlled robotic system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot, and at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       20 . The human controlled robotic system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal of a human foot, and at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       21 . The human controlled robotic system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot, at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal portion of a human foot, and at least a third sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       22 . A device for evaluating foot dexterity, comprising: 
 a shoe insole insert including a substrate having a plurality of pressure sensors mounted at selected locations on the substrate to facilitate measurement of human foot dexterity; and    a microprocessor for receiving inputs from the sensors for evaluation of human foot dexterity.    
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot.  
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal of a human foot.  
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot, and at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal of a human foot.  
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot, and at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal of a human foot, and at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.  
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a ball of a human foot, at least one other sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a heal portion of a human foot, and at least a third sensor is located at a portion of the shoe insole insert corresponding with a toe of a human foot.

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