Method and apparatus for controlled rehabilitation and training of muscular system

Abstract

A system and method for controlling an exercise in an apparatus for training and measuring muscle strength. The system includes an apparatus with moving means actuated by force applied by a user, a magnetorheological brake unit resisting the movement of the moving means moved by user force applied, a control unit actively controlling the resistance of the magnetorheological brake unit during the exercise on the basis of a sensor signal from one or more sensors, one or more sensors measuring the behavior of the moving means, and a processing unit connected to the control unit for selecting parameters of an exercise.

1 . A system for controlling an exercise in an apparatus for training and measuring muscle strength, comprising:
 the apparatus with moving means actuated by force applied by a user,   a magnetorheological brake unit resisting the movement of the moving means moved by user force applied,   one or more sensors measuring the behavior of the moving means, and   a processing unit connected to the control unit for selecting parameters of an exercise,   a control unit actively controlling the resistance of the magnetorheological brake unit during the exercise on the basis of a sensor signal from one or more sensors, the signal being used depending on parameters selected,   a first plate connected to the moving means, and   a rotating shaft with a turning wheel supporting and being in moving engagement with the moving means, wherein   the magnetorheological brake unit being connected via the rotating shaft to the turning wheel resisting the movement of the moving means via the turning wheel.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the moving means comprises an inclined linearly moving wire rope extending around two turning wheels on a distance from each other. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the function of the magnetorheological brake is based on an electromagnetic core consisting of rotating plates and coils and on the properties of a magnetorheological fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the magnetorheological brake unit resisting the movement of the moving means in only one direction. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the magnetorheological brake resisting the movement of the moving means in the direction directed outwards of the rotating plates of the magnetorheological brake unit. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the magnetorheological brake unit resists the movement of the moving means in accordance with a set value. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the magnetorheological brake unit resisting the movement of the moving means caused by the user force applied in accordance with a set value for the resistance as a parameter for the exercise, the set value being determined on the basis of a desired speed of the moving means. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the magnetorheological brake unit resisting the movement of the moving means caused by the user force applied in accordance with a set value for the resistance as a parameter for the exercise, the set value being determined on the basis of a desired force applied on the moving means. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the processing unit having a user interface and a program for determination of the set value of the magnetorheological brake unit as a constant or varying parameter of an exercise. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an embedded system consisting of a feedback control loop for actively controlling the resistance by feedback control. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the embedded system comprises said control unit receiving information from sensors, which are connected to the magnetorheological brake unit,
 a programmable constant current driver, which controls the brake unit, and   a digital controller that controls the set point adjusted on the basis of the sensor signal.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the feedback control loop is an integrated Proportional-Integral-Derivative, PID, controller. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a fuzzy logic controller for actively controlling the resistance by feedback control. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the program determining additional parameters for the exercise, such as the mode and time of the exercise. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  as applied for isometric training as the training mode,
 whereby the magnetorheological brake unit resists the movement of the moving means as controlled by the control unit with a counterforce of a higher value on the basis of the signal of a sensor measuring the force applied on the magnetorheological brake unit so that the as a consequence of the movement of moving means, the first plate remains on a pre-set position as measured by a sensor during an exercise of muscular work. 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13  as applied for isokinetic training as the training mode,
 whereby the magnetorheological brake unit resists the movement of the moving means in accordance by a speed value set and controlled by the control unit and on the basis of a signal from a pulse sensor measuring the position of the first plate moving as a consequence of the movement of the moving means, and of a sensor measuring the force applied on the magnetorheological brake unit. 
 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13  applied for isotonic training as the training mode,
 whereby the magnetorheological brake unit resists the movement of the moving means in accordance with a force value set and as controlled by the control unit and on the basis of the signal of a sensor measuring the position of the first plate moving as a consequence of the movement of the moving means and of a sensor measuring the force applied on the magnetorheological brake unit. 
 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13  as applied for variokinetic training as the training mode,
 whereby the resistance of the brake is controlled in relation to the power produced by the user or in relation to the speed of the movement of the moving means. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a sensor measuring bio signals, the measured body performance to be used as a base for the parameters in an exercise. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus being a leg press comprising a seat as the first plate, and a second plate as a footplate that can be manually pressed by a human being sitting positioned on the seat. 
     
     
         21 . Apparatus for training and measuring muscle strength, comprising:
 moving means actuated by force applied by a user,   a magnetorheological brake unit resisting the movement of the moving means moved by user force applied,   a control unit actively controlling the resistance of the magnetorheological brake unit during the exercise on the basis of a sensor signal from one or more sensors, the signal being used depending on parameters selected,   one or more sensors measuring the behavior of the moving means, and   means to enable use of the apparatus in accordance with selected parameters of the exercise,   wherein the apparatus further comprises   a first plate being connected to the linearly moving means,   a rotating shaft with a turning wheel supported by and being in moving engagement with the moving means,   the magnetorheological brake unit resisting the movement of the moving means via the turning wheel.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the moving means comprises an inclined linearly moving wire rope extending around two turning wheels on a distance from each other. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the function of the magnetorheological brake is based on an electromagnetic core consisting of rotating plates and coils and on the properties of a magnetorheological fluid. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the magnetorheological brake unit resisting the movement of the moving means in only one direction. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the magnetorheological brake resisting the movement of the moving means in the direction directed outwards of the rotating plates of the magnetorheological brake unit. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 21  further comprising a processing unit connected to the control unit for selecting parameters of an exercise. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the magnetorheological brake unit resists the movement of the moving means in accordance with a set value. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetorheological brake unit resisting the movement of the moving means caused by the user force applied in accordance with a set value for the resistance as a parameter for the exercise, the set value being determined on the basis of a desired speed of the moving means. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the magnetorheological brake unit resisting the movement of the moving means caused by the user force applied in accordance with a set value for the resistance as a parameter for the exercise, the set value being determined on the basis of a the set value being determined on the basis of a desired force applied on the moving means. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the resistance of the magnetorheological brake unit is actively controlled by an embedded system with a feedback control loop for keeping the set point as selected in accordance with exercise mode and individual user goals. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the embedded system comprises said control unit receiving information from sensors, which are connected to the magnetorheological brake unit,
 a programmable constant current driver, which controls the magnetorheological brake unit, and   a digital controller that controls the set point adjusted on the basis of the sensor signal.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 30  wherein the feedback control loop is an integrated Proportional-Integral-Derivative, PID, controller. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31  further comprising a fuzzy logic controller for actively controlling the resistance by feedback control. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 21  being a leg press comprising a seat on the first plate,
 and a second plate as a footplate that can be manually pressed by a human being sitting positioned on the seat. 
 
     
     
         35 . A method for controlling an exercise in an apparatus comprising moving means actuated by force applied by a user and a magnetorheological brake unit resisting the user force applied, the method comprising the steps of
 a) feeding user data and parameters of the exercise into a program run by a processing unit connected to the apparatus for controlling the parameters of an exercise to be performed,   b) measuring the force applied by a user on the moving means during the exercise by means of one or more sensors measuring the behavior of the moving means, and   c) controlling the resistance of the magnetorheological brake unit during the exercise on the basis of one or more sensor signals from said sensors and using the signal depending on parameters selected.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising the steps of
 d) collecting and storing data of the exercise during performance in the form of exercise results, and   e) analyzing the exercise results to be used as a basis of future exercises.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35  further comprising modifying exercise parameters on the basis of the analyzed exercise results or performance or biosignals during the exercise and repeating the exercise with modified parameters.