Methods and systems for control of human locomotion

1. A method for guiding locomotion speed in a human subject during a locomotion event, the method comprising:

estimating the subject's actual locomotion speed during the locomotion event using one or more sensors to thereby obtain a measured speed as a distance per unit time;

determining an error as a distance per unit time during the locomotion event, the error comprising a difference between a desired speed at a particular instant during the locomotion event as a distance per unit time and the measured speed for the particular instant during the locomotion event;

determining that the error has a non-zero magnitude;

outputting, to the subject during the locomotion event, a stimulus frequency signal comprising a tempo;

requesting the human subject to locomote with a gait frequency that matches the tempo;

determining the tempo of the stimulus frequency signal based on the error in accordance with a control strategy which ensures that when the subject locomotes with the gait frequency that matches the tempo, the magnitude of the error is reduced over time during the locomotion event.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining the tempo of the stimulus frequency signal based on the error comprises implementing a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control scheme.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein implementing the PID control scheme comprises generating a control signal based on the error and using the control signal as an input to a frequency generator which outputs the stimulus frequency signal in response to the control signal.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining the tempo of the stimulus frequency signal based on the error comprises determining a first control term proportional to the error which is used, at least in part, to determine the stimulus frequency signal.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein determining the tempo of the stimulus frequency signal based on the error comprises generating a control signal as a combination of available control terms and using the control signal as an input to a frequency generator which outputs the stimulus frequency signal in response to the control signal.

6. A method according to claim 5 comprising updating the control signal with a control period of less than 10 seconds.

7. A method according to claim 5 comprising updating the control signal with a control period of less than 1 second.

8. A method according to claim 5 wherein the stimulus frequency signal is provided to the subject in a form of music and the control signal is updated at a conclusion of each musical piece.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the stimulus frequency signal comprises an auditory signal that is output to the subject.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the stimulus frequency signal comprises one or more of: a tactile signal that is output to the subject and a visual signal that is output to the subject.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the desired speed comprises a user-specified speed profile.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the user-specified speed profile comprises an interval profile which comprises a plurality of intervals with each interval comprising at least one of: a desired speed level for a desired period of time; and a desired speed level for a desired distance.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the user-specified speed profile comprises a ramping speed profile which includes one or more time periods when the desired speed is increasing constantly with time.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein the user-specified speed profile comprises a profile downloaded from a communication network.

15. A method according to claim 5 wherein the stimulus frequency signal is provided to the subject in a form of music and the control signal is updated at one or more intervals within a musical piece.

16. A method for guiding locomotion speed in a human subject during a locomotion event, the method comprising:

estimating the subject's actual locomotion speed during the locomotion event using one or more sensors to thereby obtain a measured speed as a distance per unit time;

determining an error as a distance per unit time during the locomotion event, the error comprising a difference between a desired speed at a particular instant during the locomotion event as a distance per unit time and the measured speed for the particular instant during the locomotion event; and

outputting, to the subject during the locomotion event, a stimulus frequency signal comprising a tempo wherein the tempo of the stimulus frequency signal is based on the error in such a manner that when the subject ambulates with gait frequency that matches the tempo of the stimulus frequency signal, the subject's actual speed as a distance per unit time during the locomotion event controllably tracks the desired speed;

wherein outputting the stimulus frequency signal based on the error comprises determining a first control term proportional to the error which is used, at least in part, to determine the stimulus frequency signal;

wherein outputting the stimulus frequency signal based on the error comprises determining a second control term, the second control term proportional to a time integral of the error and the second control term used, at least in part, to determine the stimulus frequency signal.

17. A method for guiding locomotion speed in a human subject during a locomotion event, the method comprising:

estimating the subject's actual locomotion speed during the locomotion event using one or more sensors to thereby obtain a measured speed as a distance per unit time;

determining an error as a distance per unit time during the locomotion event, the error comprising a difference between a desired speed at a particular instant during the locomotion event as a distance per unit time and the measured speed for the particular instant during the locomotion event; and

outputting, to the subject during the locomotion event, a stimulus frequency signal comprising a tempo wherein the tempo of the stimulus frequency signal is based on the error in such a manner that when the subject ambulates with a gait frequency that matches the tempo of the stimulus frequency signal, the subject's actual speed as a distance per unit time during the locomotion event controllably tracks the desired speed;

wherein outputting the stimulus frequency signal based on the error comprises determining a first control term proportional to the error which is used, at least in part, to determine the stimulus frequency signal;

wherein outputting the stimulus frequency signal based on the error comprises determining a third control term, the third control term proportional to a time derivative of the error and the third control term used, at least in part, to determine the stimulus frequency signal.

18. A system for guiding a locomotion speed of a human subject during a locomotion event, the system comprising:

one or more sensors for sensing one or more corresponding parameters of the locomotion movement of the subject during the locomotion event and for generating therefrom a measured speed as a distance per unit time which represents an estimate of the subject's actual locomotion speed at a particular instant during the locomotion event;

a controller configured to:

determine an error as a distance per unit time during the locomotion event, the error comprising a difference between a desired speed at the particular instant during the locomotion event as a distance per unit time and the measured speed for the particular instant during the locomotion event;

determine that the error has a non-zero magnitude; and

output, to the subject, a stimulus frequency signal comprising a tempo;

wherein the human subject is requested to locomote with a gait frequency that matches the tempo;

wherein the controller is further configured to determine the tempo of the stimulus frequency signal based on the error in accordance with a control strategy which ensures that when the subject locomotes with the gait frequency that matches the tempo, the magnitude of the error is reduced over time during the locomotion event.