Eduthera Solutions

26/08/2022

Metabolically efficient walking assistance using optimized timed forces at the waist - The metabolic rate of walking can be reduced by applying a constant forward force at the center of mass. It has been shown that the metabolically optimal constant force magnitude minimizes propulsion ground reaction force at the expense of increased braking. This led to the hypothesis that selectively assisting propulsion could lead to greater benefits. We used a robotic waist tether to evaluate the effects of forward forces with different timings and magnitudes. Here, we show that it is possible to reduce the metabolic rate of healthy participants by 48% with a greater efficiency ratio of metabolic cost reduction per unit of net aiding work compared with other assistive robots. This result was obtained using a sinusoidal force profile with peak timing during the middle of the double support. The same timing could also reduce the metabolic rate in patients with peripheral artery disease. A model explains that the optimal force profile accelerates the center of mass into the inverted pendulum movement during single support. Contrary to the hypothesis, the optimal force timing did not entirely coincide with propulsion. Within the field of wearable robotics, there is a trend to use devices to mimic biological torque or force profiles. Such bioinspired actuation can have relevant benefits; however, our results demonstrate that this is not necessarily optimal for reducing metabolic rate.

Assisting center-of-mass acceleration with a robotic waist tether reduces the cost of walking more than assisting propulsion.

16/01/2022

Adalia Rose Williams, a social media star who documented her life with an early-aging disorder, died on Wednesday, according to posts on her social media

28/12/2021

25/12/2021

20/12/2021

NIHR is launching a new funding call to harness the potential of artificial intelligence to meet the challenge of multiple long-term conditions (multimorbidity). Shakti Patel, Research Programme Manager at the Department of Health and Social Care, explains how NIHR and DHSC have consulted with the A...

20/12/2021

A large-scale metabolomics study of blood samples from 11,000 people has identified common biological links among a number of chronic non-communicable diseases, opening up the possibility of countering multiple diseases simultaneously.

06/12/2021

05/12/2021

The human preference for symmetric walking often disappears when one leg is constrained.

Key points
We hypothesized that minimization of metabolic power could drive people to walk asymmetrically when one leg is constrained
We studied healthy young adults and independently constrained one or both step lengths to be markedly shorter or longer than preferred using visual feedback
When one leg was constrained to take a shorter or longer step than preferred, asymmetric walking patterns were less metabolically costly than symmetric walking patterns
When one leg was constrained to take a shorter or longer step than preferred and the other leg was allowed to move freely, most participants naturally adopted an asymmetric gait
People may prefer to walk asymmetrically to minimize metabolic power when the function of one leg is constrained during fixed-speed treadmill walking
Abstract
The bilateral symmetry inherent in healthy human walking is often disrupted in clinical conditions that primarily affect one leg (e.g. stroke). This seems intuitive: with one leg constrained, gait becomes asymmetric. However, the emergence of asymmetry is not inevitable. Consider that symmetric walking could be preserved by matching the movement of the unconstrained leg to that of the constrained leg. While this is theoretically possible, it is rarely observed in clinical populations. Here, we hypothesized that minimization of metabolic power could drive people to walk asymmetrically when one leg is constrained, even when symmetric walking remains possible. We tested this hypothesis by performing two experiments in healthy adults. In Experiment 1, we constrained one step to be markedly shorter or longer than preferred. We observed that participants could significantly reduce metabolic power by adopting an asymmetric gait (one short/long step, one preferred step) rather than maintaining a symmetric gait (bilateral short/long steps). Indeed, when allowed to walk freely in this situation, participants naturally adopted a less effortful asymmetric gait. In Experiment 2, we applied a milder constraint that more closely approximated magnitudes of step length asymmetry that are observed in clinical populations. Responses in this experiment were more heterogeneous, though most participants adopted an asymmetric gait. These findings support two central conclusions: (1) symmetry is not necessarily energetically optimal in constrained human walking, and (2) people may prefer to walk asymmetrically to minimize metabolic power when one leg is constrained during fixed-speed treadmill walking, especially when the constraint is large.

We hypothesized that minimization of metabolic power could drive people to walk asymmetrically when one leg is constrained We studied healthy young adults and independently constrained one or both s...

05/12/2021

Ameca is the world’s most advanced human shaped robot representing the forefront of human-robotics technology designed as a platform for AI development.

24/10/2021

Interactive Teaching Tools for Beginners!!!

A key step for understanding the application of EMG is to explore the fundamental constructs that govern signal acquisition, processing, and analysis. Dr. Jennifer Martay (Anglia Ruskin University, UK) and Dr. Hugo Martay have created interactive tools to introduce the basics of EMG data acquisition and analysis.

The simulation tool allows for initial users to further visualize how the EMG trace is created from the action potential that propagates the muscle fibres. Further factors influence the recorded EMG signal. The roles of intrinsic and extrinsic factors can be further explored in the relevant research paper.

Designed by Dr. Jennifer Martay and Dr. Hugo Martay (Anglia Ruskin University)

22/10/2021

Lost in Translation: Simple Steps in Experimental Design of Neurorehabilitation-Based Research Interventions to Promote Motor Recovery Post-Stroke

Stroke continues to be a leading cause of disability. Basic neurorehabilitation research is necessary to inform the neuropathophysiology of impaired motor control, and to develop targeted interventions with potential to remediate disability post-stroke. Despite knowledge gained from basic research s...