Toward Balance Recovery With Leg Prostheses Using Neuromuscular Model Control

摘要: Objective: Lower limb amputees are at high risk of falling as current prosthetic legs provide only limited functionality for recovering balance after unexpected disturbances. For instance, the most established control method used on powered leg prostheses tracks local joint impedance functions without taking global function in recovery into account. Here, we explore an alternative policy transfemoral that considers and is based a neuromuscular model human locomotion. Methods: We adapt this to describe simulate amputee walking with prosthesis using proposed control, evaluate gait robustness when confronted rough ground swing then implement partially resulting controller prototype worn by nonamputee user. Results: In simulation, leads gaits more robust than those obtained method. The initial hardware experiments show reproduces normal patterns qualitatively effectively responds disturbances early late swing. However, response midswing neither replicates responses nor averts falls. Conclusions: promising existing controls, although further research will need improve implementation determine how well these results transfer gait. Significance: This paper provides potential avenue future development policies help recovery.