Systems and methods for processing limb motion
View Patent ↗Control systems and methods are disclosed for processing a time series of signals associated with the movement of a device associated with a limb. The time series of motion signals is filtered, such as thorough an autoregressive filter, and compared to stored data sets representing a limb-motion event and/or phase. In certain examples, a plurality of accelerometers generate the time series of motion signals based at least on acceleration measurements in three orthogonal directions and/or planes. The acceleration measurements may relate to the movement of an artificial limb, such as a prosthetic or orthotic device. Upon determining an event and/or phase of limb motion, the control system may trigger an actuator to appropriately adjust one or more prosthetic or orthotic joints.
1. A system for analyzing the movement of a device associated with a limb, the system comprising:
at least one accelerometer configured to generate a time series of motion signals indicative of a movement of a device associated with a limb; and
a process module in communication with the at least one accelerometer, the process module comprising:
a filter configured to process the time series of motion signals received from the at least one accelerometer and configured to generate from the time series of motion signals a plurality of filtered signals; and
a comparison module configured to compare the plurality of filtered signals with a plurality of sample signals, wherein the comparison module is further configured to identify, based on said comparison, limb-motion events associated with the movement of the device associated with the limb.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one accelerometer comprises a gyroscope.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the time series of motion signals comprises at least one of forward, inward and downward linear acceleration signals.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises an autoregressive filter.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the filter comprises a Kalman filter.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a database configured store the plurality of sample signals.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the process module comprises a machine executable software module.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the limb is an artificial limb.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the artificial limb comprises one of a prosthetic device and an orthotic device.
10. A prosthetic device being movable about a joint location and comprising the system of claim 1 .
11. The prosthetic device of claim 10 , wherein the comparison module is further configured to generate a control signal for adjusting the prosthetic device.
12. The prosthetic device of claim 11 , further comprising an actuator configured to control movement of the prosthetic device according to the control signal.
13. The prosthetic device of claim 12 , wherein the joint location is an ankle-joint location.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one accelerometer is attached to the artificial limb.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the limb-motion events comprise toe-off and heel-strike events.