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1. A Lightweight Exoskeleton-Based Portable Gait Data Collection System

   https://doi.org/10.3390/s21030781  

   Haque, Md Rejwanul ; Imtiaz, Masudul H. ; Kwak, Samuel T. ; Sazonov, Edward ; Chang, Young-Hui ; Shen, Xiangrong ( February 2021 , Sensors)

   null (Ed.)

   For the controller of wearable lower-limb assistive devices, quantitative understanding of human locomotion serves as the basis for human motion intent recognition and joint-level motion control. Traditionally, the required gait data are obtained in gait research laboratories, utilizing marker-based optical motion capture systems. Despite the high accuracy of measurement, marker-based systems are largely limited to laboratory environments, making it nearly impossible to collect the desired gait data in real-world daily-living scenarios. To address this problem, the authors propose a novel exoskeleton-based gait data collection system, which provides the capability of conducting independent measurement of lower limb movement without the need for stationary instrumentation. The basis of the system is a lightweight exoskeleton with articulated knee and ankle joints. To minimize the interference to a wearer’s natural lower-limb movement, a unique two-degrees-of-freedom joint design is incorporated, integrating a primary degree of freedom for joint motion measurement with a passive degree of freedom to allow natural joint movement and improve the comfort of use. In addition to the joint-embedded goniometers, the exoskeleton also features multiple positions for the mounting of inertia measurement units (IMUs) as well as foot-plate-embedded force sensing resistors to measure the foot plantar pressure. All sensor signals are routed to a microcontroller for data logging and storage. To validate the exoskeleton-provided joint angle measurement, a comparison study on three healthy participants was conducted, which involves locomotion experiments in various modes, including overground walking, treadmill walking, and sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit transitions. Joint angle trajectories measured with an eight-camera motion capture system served as the benchmark for comparison. Experimental results indicate that the exoskeleton-measured joint angle trajectories closely match those obtained through the optical motion capture system in all modes of locomotion (correlation coefficients of 0.97 and 0.96 for knee and ankle measurements, respectively), clearly demonstrating the accuracy and reliability of the proposed gait measurement system. 

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2. Evaluating Electromyography and Sonomyography Sensor Fusion to Estimate Lower-Limb Kinematics Using Gaussian Process Regression

   https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2022.716545  

   Rabe, Kaitlin G. ; Fey, Nicholas P. ( March 2022 , Frontiers in Robotics and AI)

   Research on robotic lower-limb assistive devices over the past decade has generated autonomous, multiple degree-of-freedom devices to augment human performance during a variety of scenarios. However, the increase in capabilities of these devices is met with an increase in the complexity of the overall control problem and requirement for an accurate and robust sensing modality for intent recognition. Due to its ability to precede changes in motion, surface electromyography (EMG) is widely studied as a peripheral sensing modality for capturing features of muscle activity as an input for control of powered assistive devices. In order to capture features that contribute to muscle contraction and joint motion beyond muscle activity of superficial muscles, researchers have introduced sonomyography, or real-time dynamic ultrasound imaging of skeletal muscle. However, the ability of these sonomyography features to continuously predict multiple lower-limb joint kinematics during widely varying ambulation tasks, and their potential as an input for powered multiple degree-of-freedom lower-limb assistive devices is unknown. The objective of this research is to evaluate surface EMG and sonomyography, as well as the fusion of features from both sensing modalities, as inputs to Gaussian process regression models for the continuous estimation of hip, knee and ankle angle and velocity during level walking, stair ascent/descent and ramp ascent/descent ambulation. Gaussian process regression is a Bayesian nonlinear regression model that has been introduced as an alternative to musculoskeletal model-based techniques. In this study, time-intensity features of sonomyography on both the anterior and posterior thigh along with time-domain features of surface EMG from eight muscles on the lower-limb were used to train and test subject-dependent and task-invariant Gaussian process regression models for the continuous estimation of hip, knee and ankle motion. Overall, anterior sonomyography sensor fusion with surface EMG significantly improved estimation of hip, knee and ankle motion for all ambulation tasks (level ground, stair and ramp ambulation) in comparison to surface EMG alone. Additionally, anterior sonomyography alone significantly improved errors at the hip and knee for most tasks compared to surface EMG. These findings help inform the implementation and integration of volitional control strategies for robotic assistive technologies.

    

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3. Deep reinforcement learning for modeling human locomotion control in neuromechanical simulation

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-021-00919-y  

   Song, Seungmoon ; Kidziński, Łukasz ; Peng, Xue Bin ; Ong, Carmichael ; Hicks, Jennifer ; Levine, Sergey ; Atkeson, Christopher G. ; Delp, Scott L. ( December 2021 , Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract Modeling human motor control and predicting how humans will move in novel environments is a grand scientific challenge. Researchers in the fields of biomechanics and motor control have proposed and evaluated motor control models via neuromechanical simulations, which produce physically correct motions of a musculoskeletal model. Typically, researchers have developed control models that encode physiologically plausible motor control hypotheses and compared the resulting simulation behaviors to measurable human motion data. While such plausible control models were able to simulate and explain many basic locomotion behaviors (e.g. walking, running, and climbing stairs), modeling higher layer controls (e.g. processing environment cues, planning long-term motion strategies, and coordinating basic motor skills to navigate in dynamic and complex environments) remains a challenge. Recent advances in deep reinforcement learning lay a foundation for modeling these complex control processes and controlling a diverse repertoire of human movement; however, reinforcement learning has been rarely applied in neuromechanical simulation to model human control. In this paper, we review the current state of neuromechanical simulations, along with the fundamentals of reinforcement learning, as it applies to human locomotion. We also present a scientific competition and accompanying software platform, which we have organized to accelerate the use of reinforcement learning in neuromechanical simulations. This “Learn to Move” competition was an official competition at the NeurIPS conference from 2017 to 2019 and attracted over 1300 teams from around the world. Top teams adapted state-of-the-art deep reinforcement learning techniques and produced motions, such as quick turning and walk-to-stand transitions, that have not been demonstrated before in neuromechanical simulations without utilizing reference motion data. We close with a discussion of future opportunities at the intersection of human movement simulation and reinforcement learning and our plans to extend the Learn to Move competition to further facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration in modeling human motor control for biomechanics and rehabilitation research 

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4. Continuous Classification of Locomotion in Response to Task Complexity and Anticipatory State

   https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2021.628050  

   Kazemimoghadam, Mahdieh ; Fey, Nicholas P. ( April 2021 , Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology)

   Objective Intent recognition in lower-extremity assistive devices (e.g., prostheses and exoskeletons) is typically limited to either recognition of steady-state locomotion or changes of terrain (e.g., level ground to stair) occurring in a straight-line path and under anticipated condition. Stability is highly affected during non-steady changes of direction such as cuts especially when they are unanticipated, posing high risk of fall-related injuries. Here, we studied the influence of changes of direction and user anticipation on task recognition, and accordingly introduced classification schemes accommodating such effects. Methods A linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier continuously classified straight-line walking, sidestep/crossover cuts (single transitions), and cuts-to-stair locomotion (mixed transitions) performed under varied task anticipatory conditions. Training paradigms with varying levels of anticipated/unanticipated exposures and analysis windows of size 100–600 ms were examined. Results More accurate classification of anticipated relative to unanticipated tasks was observed. Including bouts of target task in the training data was necessary to improve generalization to unanticipated locomotion. Only up to two bouts of target task were sufficient to reduce errors to <20% in unanticipated mixed transitions, whereas, in single transitions and straight walking, substantial unanticipated information (i.e., five bouts) was necessary to achieve similar outcomes. Window size modifications did not have a significant influence on classification performance. Conclusion Adjusting the training paradigm helps to achieve classification schemes capable of adapting to changes of direction and task anticipatory state. Significance The findings could provide insight into developing classification schemes that can adapt to changes of direction and user anticipation. They could inform intent recognition strategies for controlling lower-limb assistive to robustly handle “unknown” circumstances, and thus deliver increased level of reliability and safety. 

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5. A deep learning method to predict ankle joint moment during walking at different speeds with ultrasound imaging: A framework for assistive devices control

   https://doi.org/10.1017/wtc.2022.18  

   Zhang, Qiang ; Fragnito, Natalie ; Bao, Xuefeng ; Sharma, Nitin ( January 2022 , Wearable Technologies)

   Abstract Robotic assistive or rehabilitative devices are promising aids for people with neurological disorders as they help regain normative functions for both upper and lower limbs. However, it remains challenging to accurately estimate human intent or residual efforts non-invasively when using these robotic devices. In this article, we propose a deep learning approach that uses a brightness mode, that is, B-mode, of ultrasound (US) imaging from skeletal muscles to predict the ankle joint net plantarflexion moment while walking. The designed structure of customized deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) guarantees the convergence and robustness of the deep learning approach. We investigated the influence of the US imaging’s region of interest (ROI) on the net plantarflexion moment prediction performance. We also compared the CNN-based moment prediction performance utilizing B-mode US and sEMG spectrum imaging with the same ROI size. Experimental results from eight young participants walking on a treadmill at multiple speeds verified an improved accuracy by using the proposed US imaging + deep learning approach for net joint moment prediction. With the same CNN structure, compared to the prediction performance by using sEMG spectrum imaging, US imaging significantly reduced the normalized prediction root mean square error by 37.55% ( $ p $  < .001) and increased the prediction coefficient of determination by 20.13% ( $ p $  < .001). The findings show that the US imaging + deep learning approach personalizes the assessment of human joint voluntary effort, which can be incorporated with assistive or rehabilitative devices to improve clinical performance based on the assist-as-needed control strategy. 

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