Design and Evaluation of Pint-Sized Gyroscopic Actuators

Meijneke, C.; Sterke, Bram; Hermans, G.P.; Gregoor, Wouter; Lemus, Daniel

doi:10.1109/aim46487.2021.9517637

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…A change in desired torque direction re-enables the CMGs to impart a moment. The individual CMGs are described by Meijneke et al (2021) [30]. Both CMGs are mounted with their gimbal axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the trunk, see Figure 1.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Light-Weight Wearable Gyroscopic Actuators Can Modulate Balance Performance and Gait Characteristics: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Sterke,

Poggensee,

Ribbers

et al. 2023

Healthcare

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Falling is a major cause of morbidity, and is often caused by a decrease in postural stability. A key component of postural stability is whole-body centroidal angular momentum, which can be influenced by control moment gyroscopes. In this proof-of-concept study, we explore the influence of our wearable robotic gyroscopic actuator “GyroPack” on the balance performance and gait characteristics of non-impaired individuals (seven female/eight male, 30 ± 7 years, 68.8 ± 8.4 kg). Participants performed a series of balance and walking tasks with and without wearing the GyroPack. The device displayed various control modes, which were hypothesised to positively, negatively, or neutrally impact postural control. When configured as a damper, the GyroPack increased mediolateral standing time and walking distance, on a balance beam, and decreased trunk angular velocity variability, while walking on a treadmill. When configured as a negative damper, both peak trunk angular rate and trunk angular velocity variability increased during treadmill walking. This exploratory study shows that gyroscopic actuators can influence balance and gait kinematics. Our results mirror the findings of our earlier studies; though, with more than 50% mass reduction of the device, practical and clinical applicability now appears within reach.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, existing devices are too heavy (15 kg, Romtrairat et al, 2020; 16 kg, Lemus et al, 2020) to be viable for wearable applications [25,28]. In order to investigate whether more lightweight and energy-efficient CMGs can still influence balance and gait, we have developed a 4.9 kg backpack (GyroPack) containing two small CMGs [30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Light-Weight Wearable Gyroscopic Actuators Can Modulate Balance Performance and Gait Characteristics: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Sterke,

Poggensee,

Ribbers

et al. 2023

Healthcare

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“…Furthermore, the activity of knee medial and lateral flexor muscles demonstrates a strong correlation with trunk flexion 69,70 . One potential solution to mitigate these undesired effects could be using a pint-sized CMG, which weighs 1.2 kg and has a more streamlined design 61 .…”

Section: Effects Of Perturbation Setup On Nominal Gaitmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…S3) caused by the undesired roll moments in our study was also observed in previous works that utilized push/pull perturbations 54 . To address this limitation, a scissored-pair CMG can be employed, allowing non-aligned torques to cancel each other 61 .…”

Section: Gyroscopic Perturbation Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediolateral Upper-body Gyroscopic Moment Perturbations During Walking: Exploring Muscle Activation Patterns and Control Strategies

Mohseni,

Berry,

Schumacher

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Adaptive motor control and seamless coordination of muscle actions in response to external perturbations are crucial to maintaining balance during bipedal locomotion. There is an ongoing debate about the specific roles of individual muscles and underlying neural control circuitry that humans employ to maintain balance in different perturbation scenarios. To advance our understanding of human motor control in perturbation recovery, we conducted a study using a portable Angular Momentum Perturbator (AMP). Unlike other push/pull perturbation systems, the AMP can generate perturbation torques on the upper body while minimizing the perturbing forces at the center of mass. In this study, ten participants experienced trunk perturbations during either the mid-stance or touchdown phase in two frontal plane directions (ipsilateral and contralateral). We recorded and analyzed the electromyography (EMG) activity of eight lower-limb muscles from both legs to examine muscular responses in different phases and directions. Based on our findings, individuals primarily employ short-latency hip strategies to effectively counteract perturbation torques, with the occasional use of ankle strategies. Furthermore, it was found that proximal muscles such as Rectus Femoris, Hamstrings, and Tensor Fasciae Latae exhibited higher activation levels than other muscles. Additionally, we observed that the fastest reactions generally stem from muscles in close proximity to the perturbation site. However, the temporal sequence of muscles’ activation depends on the timing and direction of the perturbation. This suggests that, in response to unexpected torque perturbations, the body recruits the repertoire of muscles at its disposal, enabling effective coping with perturbations when necessary instead of relying on learned central motor programs. These findings enhance reflex response modeling, aiding the development of simulation tools for accurately predicting exogenous disturbances. Additionally, they hold the potential to shape the development of assistive devices, with implications for clinical interventions, particularly for the elderly.

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