Biomorphic rhythmic movement controller

Abstract

An artificial Central Pattern Generator (CPG) based on the naturally-occuring central pattern generator locomotor controller for walking, running, swimming, and flying animals may be constructed to be self-adaptive, by providing for the artificial CPG, which may be a chip, to tune its behavior based on sensory feedback. It is believed that this is the first instance of an adaptive CPG chip. Such a sensory feedback-using system with an artificial CPG may be used in mechanical applications such as a running robotic leg, in walking, flying and swimming machines, and in miniature and larger robots, and also in biological systems, such as a surrogate neural system for patients with spinal damage.

1 . A central pattern generator-based system for controlling at least one mechanical limb, comprising 
 at least one mechanical limb; and    a non-biological central pattern generator that autonomously generates a rhythmic pattern of commands for controlling repetitive cyclical movement of the at least one mechanical limb wherein commands are adapted as a function of sensory feedback.    
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 1 , further including: 
 a system for phase adjustment of the central pattern generator based on    at least one sensory trigger in or derived from sensory feedback; and    a system for controlling firing frequency of motoneurons as a function of the sensory feedback or the sensory trigger.    
   
   
       4 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 1 , further including at least one memory device.  
   
   
       5 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 4 , wherein the memory device controls adaptation of output from the central pattern generator.  
   
   
       6 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 5 , wherein the output includes integrate-and-fire neurons.  
   
   
       7 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is at least one chip.  
   
   
       8 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 7 , including at least one chip containing electronic analogues of biological neurons, synapses and time-constraints.  
   
   
       9 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 7 , including at least one chip that includes dynamic memories and phase modulators.  
   
   
       10 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is a non-linear oscillator including electronic analogues of biological neurons, synapses and time-constraints, dynamic memories and phase modulators.  
   
   
       11 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 7 , wherein the system includes at least one chip in which components are integrated with hardwired or programmable circuits.  
   
   
       12 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 1 , wherein the central pattern generator is a distributed system of at least two non-linear oscillators.  
   
   
       13 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 12 , wherein the distributed system includes at least one neuron physically coupled to a neuron or a sensory input.  
   
   
       14 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 12 , wherein the distributed system includes at least two neurons physically coupled to each other, to another neuron, or to a sensory input.  
   
   
       15 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 14 , wherein phasic coupling is in-phase, 180 degrees out of phase, or any number of degrees out of phase.  
   
   
       16 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 14 , wherein phasic coupling is based on rhythmic movement application.  
   
   
       17 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 14 , including a phase control circuit.  
   
   
       18 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 14 , including at least one integrate-and-fire spiking motoneuron driven by the physically coupled neurons.  
   
   
       19 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 1 , including at least one muscle.  
   
   
       20 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is a robot.  
   
   
       21 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 7 , wherein the system includes a central pattern generator chip and at least one biological neuron.  
   
   
       22 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 21 , including multiple chips.  
   
   
       23 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 1 , including at least one sensor for collecting sensory feedback.  
   
   
       24 . The central pattern generator system of  claim 23 , including a system for phase adjustment of the central pattern generator based on at least one sensory trigger in the received sensory feedback.  
   
   
       25 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensory feedback is received from the at least one mechanical limb.  
   
   
       26 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensory feedback is received from a sensing modality.  
   
   
       27 . A central pattern generator-based system for controlling a biological system for rhythmic movement, comprising 
 an interface with a biological system that can provide sensory feedback from said biological system; and    a non-biological central pattern generator that autonomously generates commands including a rhythmic pattern of commands for controlling repetitive cyclical movements of the biological system wherein said commands and said rhythmic pattern of commands are adapted as a function of sensory feedback.    
   
   
       28 .- 29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 27 , further including at least one memory device.  
   
   
       31 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 30 , wherein the memory device controls adaptation of output from the central pattern generator.  
   
   
       32 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 31 , wherein the output includes integrate-and-fire neurons.  
   
   
       33 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 27 , wherein the system is at least one chip.  
   
   
       34 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 33 , including at least one chip containing electronic analogues of biological neurons, synapses and time-constraints.  
   
   
       35 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 33 , including at least one chip that includes dynamic memories and phase modulators.  
   
   
       36 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 27 , wherein the system is a non-linear oscillator including electronic analogues of biological neurons, synapses and time-constraints, dynamic memories and phase modulators.  
   
   
       37 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 33 , wherein the system includes at least one chip in which components are integrated with hardwired or programmable circuits.  
   
   
       38 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 27 , wherein the central pattern generator is a distributed system of at least two non-linear oscillators.  
   
   
       39 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 38 , wherein the distributed system includes at least one neuron physically coupled to a neuron or a sensory input.  
   
   
       40 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 38 , wherein the distributed system includes at least two neurons physically coupled to each other, to another neuron, or to a sensory input.  
   
   
       41 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 40 , wherein phasic coupling is in-phase, 180 degrees out of phase, or any number of degrees out of phase.  
   
   
       42 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 40 , wherein phasic coupling is based on rhythmic movement application.  
   
   
       43 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 40 , including a phase control circuit.  
   
   
       44 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 40 , including at least one integrate-and-fire spiking motoneuron driven by the physically coupled neurons.  
   
   
       45 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 27 , including at least one muscle.  
   
   
       46 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 33 , wherein the system includes a central pattern generator chip and at least one biological neuron.  
   
   
       47 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 46 , including multiple chips.  
   
   
       48 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 27 , including at least one sensor for collecting sensory feedback.  
   
   
       49 . The central pattern generator system of  claim 48 , including a system for phase adjustment of the central pattern generator based on at least one sensory trigger in the received sensory feedback.  
   
   
       50 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 27 , wherein the sensory feedback is received from the at least one biological limb.  
   
   
       51 . The central pattern generator-based system of  claim 27 , wherein the sensory feedback is received from a sensing modality.  
   
   
       52 .- 54 . (canceled)  
   
   
       55 . A robotics system comprising: 
 (a) a central pattern generator-based system that mimics a biological central pattern generator to autonomously generate commands including a rhythmic pattern of commands; and    (b) at least one sensory device providing signals for adaptation of said commands and said rhythmic pattern of commands.    
   
   
       56 . The robotics system of  claim 55 , wherein the central pattern generator-based system receives sensory input from the at least one sensory device.  
   
   
       57 . An autonomous movement device for providing rhythmic control, wherein the autonomous movement device comprises: 
 a non-biological central pattern generator that generates a pattern of rhythmic control commands wherein said control commands are adapted as a function of sensory feedback.    
   
   
       58 . The autonomous movement device of  claim 57 , including at least one mechanical limb.  
   
   
       59 . The autonomous device of  claim 58  wherein the limb is a leg, arm, wing or appendage for swimming.  
   
   
       60 . The movement device of  claim 58  including at least two limbs.  
   
   
       61 . The movement device of  claim 57 , wherein the device is a breathing controller.  
   
   
       62 . The movement device of  claim 57 , wherein the device is a pacemaker.  
   
   
       63 . The movement device of  claim 57 , wherein the device is a running device.  
   
   
       64 . A non-biological central pattern generator for autonomously producing a rhythmic pattern of output signals comprising: 
 a memory device; and    a system for manipulating neural phasic relationships of said pattern of autonomously generated output signals.    
   
   
       65 .- 67 . (canceled)