Estimation of body segmental orientation for prosthetic gait using a nonlinear autoregressive neural network with exogenous inputs.

Assessment of the prosthetic gait is an important clinical approach to evaluate the quality and functionality of the prescribed lower limb prosthesis as well as to monitor rehabilitation progresses following limb amputation. Limited access to quantitative assessment tools generally affects the repeatability and consistency of prosthetic gait assessments in clinical practice. The rapidly developing wearable technology industry provides an alternative to objectively quantify prosthetic gait in the unconstrained environment.

Generating an Adaptive and Robust Walking Pattern for a Prosthetic Ankle-Foot by Utilizing a Nonlinear Autoregressive Network With Exogenous Inputs.

One of the major challenges in developing powered lower limb prostheses is emulating the behavior of an intact lower limb with different walking speeds over diverse terrains. Numerous studies have been conducted on control algorithms in the field of rehabilitation robotics to achieve this overarching goal. Recent studies on powered prostheses have frequently used a hierarchical control scheme consisting of three control levels.

Influence of age on patellar tendon reflex response.

Background: A clinical parameter commonly used to assess the neurological status of an individual is the tendon reflex response. However, the clinical method of evaluation often leads to subjective conclusions that may differ between examiners. Moreover, attempts to quantify the reflex response, especially in older age groups, have produced inconsistent results.

Motion analysis of normal patellar tendon reflex.

Background: Reflex assessment, an essential element in the investigation of the motor system, is currently assessed through qualitative description, which lacks of normal values in the healthy population. This study quantified the amplitude and latency of patellar tendon reflex in normal subjects using motion analysis to determine the factors affecting the reflex amplitude.

Methods: 100 healthy volunteers were recruited for patellar tendon reflex assessments which were recorded using a motion analysis system.

The validity and reliability of motion analysis in patellar tendon reflex assessment.

Background: The deep tendon reflex assessments that are essential to the accurate diagnosis of neurological or neuromuscular disorders are conducted subjectively in clinical neurology. Our aim was to assess deep tendon reflexes objectively with a new reflex quantification method.

Methodology/principal Findings: The present study used a motion analysis technique to collect quantitative measurements for both the input and output of normal patellar tendon reflex.