Abstract: An exercise apparatus is disclosed. The exercise apparatus comprises: a three-dimensional coordinate system having an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis; lower limb segments; a moving arm; a multi-axis force sensor; at least one footplate attached to said multi-axis force sensor for supporting a human foot or shoe; a compact real-time ankle motion measurement device, said motion measurement device attached between the leg and foot and capable of measuring the ankle joint motion in at least one degree of freedom; and a central processor, said central processor capable of calculating lower-limb joint moments in real time. The central processor calculates lower-limb joint moments with a modified inverse dynamic method, which does not involve computation of location of center of pressure.

Abstract: This invention provides a lower-limb off-axis movement training apparatus, which is mounted on the movement part of a sagittal plane exercise machine and allows the user to perform off-axis movement training during sagittal plane functional movements. The said apparatus for the lower limb off-axis training consists of a base, an off-axis movement generating part mounted on the base, and a foot container supported by the off-axis movement generating part. The said off-axis movement generating part comprising at least one of the following two: (1) off-axis pivoting generating part, which generates the pivoting movement of the foot container; (2) off-axis sliding generating part, which generates the sliding movement of the foot container. A feedback training system including the said training apparatus is provided. While the user performs sagittal plane movements of the lower limbs, the said system provides off-axis movement training integrated with the sagittal plane movements.

Abstract: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured knee ligament in sports-related activities, especially in pivoting sports. Considering that the knee is free to flex/extend but has much more limited motions about the off-axes (tibial rotation and valgus/varus), ACL injuries are often associated with excessive off-axis loadings. A pivoting/sliding mechanism combined with sagittal plane movement/exercise is described as a diagnostic tool to evaluate off-axis neuromechanical and anatomical risk factors of noncontact ACL injuries. The pivoting/sliding mechanism is also described as an intervention tool for off-axis training, possibly based on the diagnosis, to reduce the incidence of ACL injuries. Training outcome can also be evaluated using the pivoting/sliding mechanism. In general, the pivoting/sliding mechanism can be used with many sagittal plane exercise machines and used to improve off-axis control of the lower limbs and reduce lower limb injuries.

Abstract: This patent describes an 8+2 degrees of freedom (DOF) intelligent rehabilitation robot capable of controlling the shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers individually and allowing functional arm movements with accompanying trunk and scapular motions.

Abstract: This patent describes an 8+2 degrees of freedom (DOF) intelligent rehabilitation robot capable of controlling the shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers individually and allowing functional arm movements with accompanying trunk and scapular motions.

Abstract: A real-time estimation of 3D moments of lower-limb joints using a robotic multi-axis training system with a 6-axis force/torque (F/T) sensors and a 6-DOF goniometer is described. A joint moment such as the knee abduction moment (KAM) can be determined in real-time without using sophisticated optoelectronic motion tracking system. The system also does not require computation of the COP location. The knee adduction moment or any other lower-limb 3D joint moments can be determined conveniently during stepping movement on the training system for real-time biofeedback training on controlling the targeted joint moment(s). The 6-DOF goniometer is convenient to use with other analog signals including the 6-axis F/T and locomotion variables.

Abstract: This invention provides a lower-limb off-axis movement training apparatus, which is mounted on the movement part of a sagittal plane exercise machine and allows the user to perform off-axis movement training during sagittal plane functional movements. The said apparatus for the lower limb off-axis training consists of a base, an off-axis movement generating part mounted on the base, and a foot container supported by the off-axis movement generating part. The said off-axis movement generating part comprising at least one of the following two: (1) off-axis pivoting generating part, which generates the pivoting movement of the foot container; (2) off-axis sliding generating part, which generates the sliding movement of the foot container. A feedback training system including the said training apparatus is provided. While the user performs sagittal plane movements of the lower limbs, the said system provides off-axis movement training integrated with the sagittal plane movements.

Abstract: In respects of limitations and problems of motor function training devices, the present invention provides a wearable and convertible device and a method for controlling combined motor function training. This device integrates the functions of both passive stretching function in the existing CPM devices and additional active assistive training function. Without a force/torque sensor element in the device, the present passive stretching control can still be adapted to hypertonia (high muscle tone or stiffness of joints) of the limb, and the present active assistive control can still be implemented for enhancing voluntary active movement from patients. With such present method, much more applications of active assistive training are supported at substantially no additional cost. On the other hand, the safety of such stretching devices without using force/torque sensor is improved, which assists in increasing the efficiency of the device of the present invention.

Abstract: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured knee ligament in sports-related activities, especially in pivoting sports. Considering that the knee is free to flex/extend but has much more limited motions about the off-axis (tibia rotation and valgus/varus), ACL injuries are often associated with excessive off-axis loadings. A pivoting/sliding mechanism combined with sagittal plane movement/exercise is described as a diagnostic tool to evaluate off-axis neuromechanical and anatomical risk factors of noncontact ACL injuries. The pivoting/sliding mechanism is also described as an intervention tool for off-axis training, possibly based on the diagnosis, to reduce the incidence of ACL injuries. Training outcome can also be evaluated using the pivoting/sliding mechanism. In general, the pivoting/sliding mechanism can be used with many sagittal plane exercise machines and used to improve off-axis control of the lower limbs and reduce lower limb injuries.

Abstract: A pocket neuromuscular evaluator delivers controlled tendon taps, makes quantitative measures of the taps and the reflex responses invoked, evaluates not only the neurological reflexes but also the muscle-joint properties, analyzes the data, displays the results, and records them to provide quantitative characterizations of the neuromuscular and joint properties.

Abstract: This patent describes an 8+2 degrees of freedom (DOF) intelligent rehabilitation robot capable of controlling the shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers individually and allowing functional arm movements with accompanying trunk and scapular motions.

Abstract: An ultrasound method of measuring displacement with high resolution includes transmitting a pair of Golay's complementary sequences or other complementary sequences, receiving echoes from the object and performing pulse compression of the two sequences of echoes. The displacement of the object between the two transmissions is derived from the residual clutter signals around the mainlobe of the compressed pulse output. Furthermore, movement velocity, thickness, strain, elastic stiffness, and viscous damping of the object or regions of the object can be determined subsequently.