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Analysis of the assistance characteristics for the knee extension motion of knee orthosis using muscular stiffness force feedback

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Abstract

In this paper, we are interested in the characteristics of a knee joint when the knee extension motion was assisted by a powered knee orthosis using a muscular stiffness force feedback. For this purpose, we developed the powered knee orthosis with an artificial pneumatic actuator, which is intended for the assistance and the enhancement of muscular activities of lower limbs. The objective of this study was to confirm the effectiveness of the powered knee orthosis that generated a knee extension torque in the motion related to a knee joint. Twenty healthy subjects participated in this study and their lower limb muscular activities were measured to identify the effectiveness of the powered knee orthosis during sit-to-stand (STS) and squat motion. The muscular activities between with and without assistance of knee extension motion were compared and analyzed for the assistance characteristics of the powered knee orthosis. To generate the knee extension torque, the knee orthosis was controlled using muscular stiffness force (MSF) feedback that is controlled by muscular activities of the vastus intermedius muscle that mainly related to the knee extension motion. For analysis of muscular activities, the surface electromyography of the muscles related to the knee extension motion, i.e., RF, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius muscles in lower limbs of the right side were recorded and biodex dynamometer was used to measure the maximal concentric isokinetic strength of the knee extensors. The experimental result showed that muscular activities in lower limbs with the assistance of the powered knee orthosis was reduced by 25.62% in rectus femoris muscle and 29.82% in biceps femoris muscle, respectively and knee extension torque of an knee joint wearing knee orthosis was increased by 17.68% in averaged peak torque. Based on the effectiveness of the powered knee orthosis, weaken elder people may have benefited from the knee extension motion augmented by the powered knee orthosis during activity of daily living, e.g., stair ascent.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. R&D Division, Chonbuk National University Automobile-parts & Mold Technology Innovation Center, Jeonju, Jeonbku, 561-844, Korea

    Kyung Kim

  2. Division of Biomedical Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbku, 561-756, Korea

    Chang-Ho Yu & Tae-Kyu Kwon

  3. Center for Healthcare Technology Development, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, 561-756, Korea

    Gu-Young Jeong

  4. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, 561-756, Korea

    Min Heo

  5. Bioengineering Research Center for the Aged, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, 561-756, Korea

    Tae-Kyu Kwon

Authors
  1. Kyung Kim
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  2. Chang-Ho Yu
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  3. Gu-Young Jeong
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  4. Min Heo
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  5. Tae-Kyu Kwon
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tae-Kyu Kwon.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Doo Yong Lee

Kyung Kim received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Chonbuk National University, Korea, in 2003, 2005, and 2010, respectively. Dr. Kim is currently the associate researcher at the New Technology Fusion Team, R&D Division, Chonbuk National University automobile-parts & Mold Technology Innovation Center (CAMTIC), Jeonju, Korea. Dr. Kim’s research interests include healthcare, rehabilitation engineering and biomechanics for the aged or people with disability.

Chang-Ho Yu received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering and his M.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering from Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea in 2005 and 2007, respectively. He received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan in 2012. Dr. Yu has been employed as s Research Professor at Division of Biomedical Engineering in Chonbuk Natinoal University since April of 2012. His research fields are expanded from mechanical engineering to biomedical engineering, hemodynamics, rehabilitation engineering and biomechanics for the aged or people with disability

Tae-Kyu Kwon received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan in 1999. Dr. Kwon is currently a Professor at Division of Biomedical Engineering in Chonbuk Natinoal University, Jeonju, Korea. He is currently serving as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Rehabilitation Welfare Engineering and Assistive Technology. Dr. Kwon’s interests are in the area of rehabilitation engineering, bio-mechatronics, healthcare, wellness and biomechanics for the aged or people with disability.

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Kim, K., Yu, CH., Jeong, GY. et al. Analysis of the assistance characteristics for the knee extension motion of knee orthosis using muscular stiffness force feedback. J Mech Sci Technol 27, 3161–3169 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-013-0837-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-013-0837-9

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