Hand paralysis stemming from peripheral nerve injuries (PNI), stroke, or spinal cord injury severely limits independence and performance in activities of daily living. Although various assistive devices are available, many are condition-specific and lack the adaptability required for diverse patient populations.This project addresses these limitations through the development of a powered hand orthosis (PHO) designed for cross-population utility. The primary objective was to engineer mechanical finger linkages that enable multi-joint actuation while maintaining a small, non-obtrusive form factor.The design process involved multiple iterations to optimize the mechanical linkages for both functionality and user ergonomics. The resulting prototype was rigorously evaluated for range of motion (ROM) and wearer comfort. Preliminary testing indicates that the linkage system successfully achieves complex finger articulation without the bulk typically associated with powered exoskeletons. This work establishes a foundation for a versatile, low-profile PHO that can be adapted to various neuromuscular conditions, ultimately enhancing functional autonomy for individuals with hand impairment.
Aging is a universal process accompanied by significant musculoskeletal shifts, particularly spinal disc degeneration, which can severely compromise independent mobility. While spinal decline is a known hallmark of aging, the specific age-related threshold at which these structural changes manifest as substantive hindrances to gait remains a critical gap in biomechanical research.The primary aim of this project is to identify the age range at which disc degeneration impacts independent gait, with a specific focus on the hips, pelvis, and trunk. These segments form the functional link between the degenerating spine and the lower extremities. Using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM), this study evaluates continuous statistical differences in the angles, moments, and power of the hip, pelvis, and trunk between two cohorts: individuals below 65 years and those above 65 years.By analyzing the kinematic and kinetic data across the entire gait cycle, this research seeks to pinpoint precisely how and when spinal degeneration alters core stability and proximal joint function. The findings will provide essential data for developing targeted physical interventions aimed at preserving gait integrity and prolonging functional independence in the elderly.
The inverted pendulum is a classic engineering problem used to study inherently unstable systems, such as self-balancing robots. We previously developed a low-cost version that successfully balanced the pendulum upright, but it suffered from timing jitter caused by MicroPython programming and significant quantization noise that limited the control speed. This project improved the system to make the control faster and smoother. We eliminated the timing jitter by transitioning to a real-time C environment that runs faster and with consistent timing. To reduce quantization noise, we replaced a simple backward difference velocity estimate with an adaptive windowing method that dynamically adjusts how much data it uses based on how fast the system moves. Adaptive windowing effectively smoothed quantization noise without slowing the system’s reaction speed. We validated these upgrades using a custom program that automatically moves the system and logs real-time balancing data. These improvements increased the stable control frequency to 2 kHz and resulted in audibly smoother motor operation with reduced current spikes. The improved design is an open-source, affordable platform for teaching and research that enables further investigation in control system engineering and machine learning. We plan to share the design as an alternative to expensive commercial equipment.
