Prosthetic and orthotic devices and methods and systems for controlling the same

Abstract

Prosthetic and/or orthotic devices (PODS), control systems for PODS and methods for controlling PODS are provided. As part of the control system, an inference layer collects data regarding a vertical and horizontal displacement of the POD, as well as an angle of the POD with respect to gravity during a gait cycle of a user of the POD. A processor analyzes the data collected to determine a locomotion activity of the user and selects one or more control parameters based on the locomotion activity. The inference layer may be situated between a reactive layer control module and a learning layer control module of the control system architecture.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A control system, for controlling a lower limb prosthesis having a shank segment and a motorized knee at a knee joint that is configured to attach to a thigh of a trans-femoral amputee, the control system comprising:
 a first sensor comprising a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured to be located on the shank segment of the lower limb prosthesis and configured to collect a first set of data related to locomotion of the shank segment;   a second sensor configured to be located on the lower limb prosthesis and configured to collect a second set of data related to an angle of the shank segment at the knee joint; and   a processor configured to be in communication with the first and second sensors, wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive the first set of data and the second set of data; 
 determine a kinematics of the thigh based on the first set of data and the second set of data, the kinematics of the thigh comprising a vertical displacement of the thigh, a horizontal displacement of the thigh, or an absolute angle of the thigh with respect to gravity; 
 identify a current locomotion activity of the amputee based on the kinematics of the thigh; and 
 control the motorized knee based on the current locomotion activity. 
   
     
     
         3 . The control system of  claim 2 , wherein the IMU comprises an accelerometer or a gyroscope. 
     
     
         4 . The control system of  claim 2 , wherein the current locomotion activity comprises: fumbling around (FA), generation (GEN), dissipation (DIS), standing-to-sitting (STS1), sitting-to-standing (STS2), or sitting (SIT). 
     
     
         5 . The control system of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate, based at least in part on one or more of the first set of data and the second set of data, the sagittal plane relative angle between the thigh segment and the shank segment with respect to two or more gait events that are indicative of a given gait characteristic. 
     
     
         6 . The control system of  claim 2 , further comprising an inference layer configured to transmit information regarding the current locomotion activity to a reactive layer configured to command and control movement of the lower limb prosthesis about the knee joint. 
     
     
         7 . The control system of  claim 2 , wherein the thigh is a prosthetic thigh segment, and the motorized knee is configured to attach to the prosthetic thigh segment. 
     
     
         8 . The control system of  claim 2 , wherein the thigh segment is the amputee's natural thigh segment, and the motorized knee comprises a proximal connector configured to attach to the natural thigh segment via a socket. 
     
     
         9 . A lower limb prosthesis, comprising:
 a shank segment;   a motorized knee connected to the shank segment at a knee joint;   a proximal connector attached to the motorized knee and configured to attach the motorized knee to a thigh of a trans-femoral amputee; and   a control system comprising:
 a first sensor comprising a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) located on the shank segment of the lower limb prosthesis and configured to collect a first set of data related to locomotion of the shank segment; 
 a second sensor located on the lower limb prosthesis and configured to collect a second set of data related to an angle of the shank segment at the knee joint; and 
 a processor in communication with the first and second sensors, wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive the first set of data and the second set of data; 
 determine a kinematics of the thigh based on the first set of data and the second set of data, the kinematics of the thigh comprising a vertical displacement of the thigh, a horizontal displacement of the thigh, or an absolute angle of the thigh with respect to gravity; 
 identify a current locomotion activity of the amputee based on the kinematics of the thigh; and 
 control the motorized knee based on the current locomotion activity. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein the IMU comprises an accelerometer or a gyroscope. 
     
     
         11 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate, based at least in part on one or more of the first set of data and the second set of data, the sagittal plane relative angle between the thigh segment and the shank segment with respect to two or more gait events that are indicative of a given gait characteristic. 
     
     
         12 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein the current locomotion activity comprises: fumbling around (FA), generation (GEN), dissipation (DIS), standing-to-sitting (STS1), sitting-to-standing (STS2), or sitting (SIT). 
     
     
         13 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein the control system further comprises an inference layer configured to transmit information regarding the current locomotion activity to a reactive layer configured to command and control movement of the lower limb prosthesis about the knee joint. 
     
     
         14 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein identifying the current locomotion activity of the amputee is further based on a torque associated with the thigh. 
     
     
         15 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein the thigh is the amputee's natural thigh, and the motorized knee comprises a proximal connector configured to attach to the natural thigh via a socket. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause performance of a method for controlling a lower limb prosthesis having a shank segment and a motorized knee at a knee joint that is configured to attach to a thigh of a trans-femoral amputee, the method comprising:
 receiving a first set of data related to locomotion of the shank segment from a first sensor comprising a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured to be located on the shank segment of the lower limb prosthesis;   receiving a second set of data related to an angle of the shank segment at the knee joint from a second sensor configured to be located on the lower limb prosthesis;   determine a kinematics of the thigh based on the first set of data and the second set of data, the kinematics of the thigh comprising a vertical displacement of the thigh, a horizontal displacement of the thigh, or an absolute angle of the thigh with respect to gravity;   identify a current locomotion activity of the amputee based on the kinematics of the thigh; and   control the motorized knee based on the current locomotion activity.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the IMU comprises an accelerometer or a gyroscope. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate, based at least in part on one or more of the first set of data and the second set of data, the sagittal plane relative angle between the thigh segment and the shank segment with respect to two or more gait events that are indicative of a given gait characteristic. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein identifying the current locomotion activity of the amputee is further based on a torque associated with the thigh 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the thigh segment is the amputee's natural thigh segment, and the motorized knee comprises a proximal connector configured to attach to the natural thigh segment via a socket. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the current locomotion activity comprises: fumbling around (FA), generation (GEN), dissipation (DIS), standing-to-sitting (STS1), sitting-to-standing (STS2), or sitting (SIT).