Exercise devices – Having specific electrical feature – Monitors exercise parameter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-04
2001-11-13
Richman, Glenn E. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Having specific electrical feature
Monitors exercise parameter
C482S009000, C482S900000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315694
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention of this application relates to a feedforward-movement training apparatus and feedforward-movement evaluating system. More particularly, the invention of this application relates to a novel feedforward-movement training apparatus and feedforward-movement evaluating system which can effectively realize rehabilitation of functions permitting fast and accurate movements in a relaxed state and which is useful for evaluation of effectiveness of rehabilitation, therapies and medicines intended for improvement of motor functions.
BACKGROUND ART
In the past, rehabilitation of movement impairments due to stroke or the like has centered on training in a “slow and accuracy-requiring” movement, such as an insertion of peg, which is done while making corrections using visual and somatosensory feedback information or in a “quick but accuracy-non-requiring” movement.
However, the former training in a “slow and accuracy-requiring” movement tends to stiffen one's arm and leg. The latter training tends not to require accuracy. Consequently, it has been difficult to restore a motor function of a quick and accurate movement of one's arm, leg and the like, which are kept in a compliant and relaxed state, without corrections during their movements.
Such a quick and accurate movement, e.g., a movement of quickly reaching out one's hand to an object or a movement of throwing a ball toward a target, is known as a feedforward-movement. On the other hand, a movement of arranging objects or tracking an object while making corrections using visual or somatosensory information is known as a feedback-movement. The aforementioned “slow and accuracy-requiring” movement is an example of the feedback-movement.
For the feedback-movement, since a feedback controller is used, it is not necessary to create, within one's brain, a dynamics model of a body part such as an arm and a leg. On the other hand, to do the feedforward-movement, it is necessary to calculate a control signal in advance, using a dynamics model of a body part.
If the relation between the control signal and the body part's movement changes due to a movement impairment, the control signal can no longer be calculated correctly using the heretofore used dynamics model of the body part. Therefore, a new dynamics model must be re-created. This is effectively achieved by training the person in the feedforward-movement making positive use of a dynamics model.
Furthermore, restoration of a motor function has been assessed based on a psychological measurement obtained by doctor's observation, i.e., on an ordinal scale, thus an objective and quantitative evaluation based on a physical measurement, i.e., a ratio scale, has not been made.
In view of the foregoing circumstances, the invention of this application has been made, and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel feedforward-movement training apparatus which solves the problems with the prior arts and can realize restoration of functions to do fast and accurate movements in a relaxed state by training the feedforward-movements. It is another object of the invention to provide a novel feedforward-movement evaluating system which objectively and easily evaluates the degree of skillfulness of the patient's feedforward-movements in the feedforward-movement training apparatus and thus can more effectively restore fast and accurate motor functions in a relaxed state.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
To solve the foregoing problems, the invention of this application provides a feedforward-movement training apparatus comprising a movement working portion where a patient causes a body part to do, within a time limit, a feedforward-movement between a start point and an end point arranged in advance, a movement measuring portion for measuring the feedforward-movement of the patient, and a movement feedback portion for giving the result of the measurement made by the movement measuring portion to the patient.
In this apparatus, at least one via-point is given between the start point and the end point, and the patient causes the body part to do a feedforward-movement from the start point to the end point through the via-point. The start point and the end point are placed on the movement working portion. The via-point is placed on the movement working portion. The movement measuring portion measures a trajectory of the feedforward-movement. The movement measuring portion measures a position of the body part during the feedforward-movement. The movement measuring portion measures a time taken to complete the feedforward-movement. The movement feedback portion displays the result of the measurement of the feedforward-movement to the patient. The start point and the end point are displayed on the movement feedback portion. The via-point is displayed on the movement feedback portion. The movement feedback portion displays the position of the body part in real-time during the feedforward-movement.
The invention of this application also provides a feedforward-movement evaluating system comprising the aforementioned feedforward-movement training apparatus and a feedforward-movement evaluating apparatus for evaluating the degree of skillfulness of the feedforward-movement done by the patient in the feedforward-movement training apparatus.
In this system, the feedforward-movement evaluating apparatus has a smoothness evaluating portion for evaluating, the smoothness of the feedforward-movement using the result of the measurement of the feedforward-movement made by the movement measuring portion of the feedforward-movement training apparatus. The feedforward-movement evaluating apparatus calculates, using the measurement of the feedforward-movement, at least one of a minimum hand jerk, a minimum joint-angle jerk, and a minimum torque change as a smoothness objective function value. The feedforward-movement evaluating apparatus has a compliance evaluating portion for evaluating compliance of the feedforward-movement using muscle tension of the body part doing the feedforward-movement on the movement working portion of the feedforward-movement training apparatus. The feedforward-movement evaluating apparatus calculates an integrated value of an electromyogram indicating a relative change of the muscle tension.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4934694 (1990-06-01), Mcintosh
patent: 5337757 (1994-08-01), Jain et al.
patent: 5553857 (1996-09-01), Fish
patent: 5810747 (1998-09-01), Brudny et al.
patent: 6066075 (2000-05-01), Poulton
Domen Kazuhisa
Osu Rieko
Japan Science and Technology Corporation
Richman Glenn E.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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