Seminar: Locomotor Rehabilitation Using Dynamic Primitives

Abstract:

Upper-extremity robot-aided neuro-rehabilitation is successful but lower-extremity robotic therapy has proven less effective. Why? Unimpaired humans achieve agility that far exceeds the ability of modern robots, despite imprecise sensors, slower actuators, and vastly slower communication and control. This spectacular performance may arise from encoding motor commands in terms of dynamic primitives (defined as attractors of a dynamic system). That, in turn, influences how motor behavior is learned and recovered after neurological injury. At least three classes of primitives are required: submovements, oscillations and mechanical impedances, the latter necessary for interaction with the physical environment. Evidence of dynamic primitives and their implications for locomotor neuro-rehabilitation will be reviewed, including evidence that correcting abnormal ankle mechanical impedance improves overground locomotion.

Hosted by Professor Manoj Srinivasan