System for control of a prosthetic device

Abstract

A system for control of a prosthetic device includes at least one Inertial Measurement Unit detecting orientation of a user's foot. The at least one Inertial Measurement Unit is in communication with a device module configured to command at least one actuator of a prosthetic device. The at least one Inertial Measurement unit sends output signals related to orientation of the user's foot to the device module and the device module controls the at least one actuator of the prosthetic device based on the signals from the at least one Inertial Measurement Unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control system for a prosthetic device comprising:
 at least one sensor module adapted to receive at least one body input signal;   at least one device module having at least one prosthetic control mode, the device module being in communication with the at least one sensor module; and   at least one actuator of the prosthetic device configured to receive commands from the device module,   wherein the device module receives at least one body input signal from the at least one sensor module and commands the at least one actuator in accordance with the at least one body input signal.   
     
     
         2 . The control system according to  claim 1  further comprising wherein the at least one device module further comprising at least one prosthetic control mode and wherein the device module commands the at least one actuator in accordance with the at least one body input signal and a current control mode of the at least one prosthetic control mode. 
     
     
         3 . The control system according to  claim 1  further comprising wherein the at least one sensor module comprising at least one inertial measurement unit. 
     
     
         4 . The control system according to  claim 3  further comprising wherein the at least one inertial measurement unit comprising at least one accelerometer. 
     
     
         5 . The control system according to  claim 3  further comprising wherein the inertial measurement unit comprising at least one accelerometer configured to detect accelerations in three perpendicular axes. 
     
     
         6 . The control system according to  claim 3  further comprising wherein the inertial measurement unit includes at least three accelerometers oriented to detect accelerations in three perpendicular axes. 
     
     
         7 . The control system according to  claim 4  further comprising wherein the sensor module sends body input signals to the device module according to the accelerations detected by the at least one accelerometer and the device module detects user walking based at least on the body input signals. 
     
     
         8 . The control system according to  claim 7  further comprising wherein the device module stops sending commands to the at least one actuator of the prosthetic device when user walking is detected. 
     
     
         9 . The control system according to  claim 1  further comprising wherein the plurality of control modes includes a bulk mode controlling movement of an end point of the prosthetic device within a movement envelope. 
     
     
         10 . The control system according to  claim 1  further comprising wherein the device module commands a movement of the end point within the movement envelope in accordance with the at least one body input signal. 
     
     
         11 . The control system according to  claim 1  further comprising wherein the device module commands a movement of the end point along a boundary of the movement envelope when the at least one body input signal would require movement outside of the movement envelope. 
     
     
         12 . The control system according to  claim 1  further comprising wherein the plurality of prosthetic control modes includes a finesse mode controlling movement of a prosthetic hand. 
     
     
         13 . The control system according to  claim 12  further comprising wherein the finesse mode additionally controls movement of a prosthetic wrist. 
     
     
         14 . The control system according to  claim 12  further comprising wherein the finesse mode includes a plurality of grips controlling movement of the prosthetic hand. 
     
     
         15 . A control system for a prosthetic device comprising:
 at least one sensor module adapted to receive at least one body motion input signal, the at least one sensor module being zeroed at a first orientation;   at least one device module having at least one control mode, the device module being in communication with the at least one sensor module; and   at least one actuator of the prosthetic device configured to receive commands from the device module,   wherein the device module receives at least one body motion input signal from the at least one sensor module and wherein the device module commands the at least one actuator in accordance with the determined change in orientation.   
     
     
         16 . The control system according to  claim 15  further comprising wherein the device module determines the change in orientation between the first orientation and a second orientation and wherein the device module commands the at least one actuator in accordance with the determined change in orientation. 
     
     
         17 . The control system according to  claim 15  further comprising wherein the device module determines the rate of change in orientation between the first orientation and a second orientation and wherein the device module commands the at least one actuator in accordance with the determined rate of change in orientation. 
     
     
         18 . A system for control of a prosthetic device comprising:
 at least one sensor module having an inertial measurement unit;   a device module in communication with the at least one sensor module; and   at least one actuator of the prosthetic device configured to receive commands from the device module,   wherein the at least one sensor module sends body input signals related to orientation to the device module, and   wherein the device module sends commands to the at least one actuator of the prosthetic device based at least on the body input signals from the at least one sensor module.   
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 18  further comprising wherein the inertial measurement unit includes at least two accelerometers and at least one gyroscope detecting orientation about at least three axis. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 18  further comprising wherein the sensor module includes a sensor CPU configured to process the body input signals. 
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 18  further comprising wherein the sensor module includes a sensor communicator configured to wirelessly transmit the body input signals to the device module. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 21  further comprising wherein the sensor communicator is a radio frequency transmitter. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 18  further comprising at least one feedback sensor disposed on the prosthetic device in communication with the device module. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 23  further comprising wherein the at least one feedback sensor sends at least one prosthetic device status signal to the device module and the device module sends commands to the at least one actuator of the prosthetic device based on the at least one prosthetic device status signal. 
     
     
         25 . A method for evaluating usage of a prosthetic device comprising:
 forming a set of feedback categories spanning a total range of possible feedback from at least one portion of the prosthetic device;   receiving at least one feedback signal from the prosthetic device based on a current use of the at least one portion of the prosthetic device;   identifying a category of the set of feedback categories for the at least one feedback signal; and   recording total duration of time that the at least one feedback signal is in the identified category of the set of feedback categories.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , additionally comprising plotting total duration of time that the at least one feedback signal is in each category of the set of feedback categories in a histogram. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , additionally comprising:
 forming a second set of feedback categories spanning a second total range of possible feedback from the at least one portion of the prosthetic device;   receiving a second feedback signal from the prosthetic device based on a current use of the at least one portion of the prosthetic device;   identifying a category of the second set of feedback categories for the second feedback signal; and   recording total duration of time that the second feedback signal is in the identified category of the second set of feedback categories.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , additionally comprising:
 forming a histogram with the total durations of time that the at least one feedback signal is in each category of the first set of feedback categories and the total durations of time that the second feedback signal is in each category of the second set of feedback categories.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the at least one portion of the prosthetic device is a joint. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the at least one feedback signal is based on a position of the joint. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the at least one feedback signal is based on a speed of the joint. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the at least one portion of the prosthetic device is a prosthetic actuator. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the at least one feedback signal is based on a current supplied to the prosthetic actuator. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the at least one feedback signal is based on a torque of the prosthetic actuator.