Quantifying the Accuracy of a Motion Detecting Neural Prosthesis

This research focuses on developing artificial devices to optimize movement in people with disabilities caused by injury or disease.  The neural prosthesis under development is designed to improve gait in people with muscle weakness. The strategy is to augment the impaired or damaged neural connection between the brain and the muscles that control walking.  The 3^rd generation neural prosthesis contains triaxial inertial measurement units (IMUs - accelerometers, gyroscopes, and processing chip) to measure body segment position.  A study was conducted to compare the accuracy of the neural prosthesis to a traditional camera motion capture system.  The IMUs were found to accurately represent the amplitude of the gait cycle components and generally track the motion.  However, there are some differences in phase, with the IMUs lagging behind the actual motion. The outcome of these tests will be discussed, and we will show how these findings will be used to shape our future medical device development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .