HUMAN/MACHINE DESIGN LAB

Department of Mechanical Engineering

University of Minnesota
(www.me.umn.edu/labs/hmd/)

u F
• Stimulated Muscles = Power

• Brace = Trajectory guidance T

• Brake = Control, stability
x,

Haptic interfaces for virtual product prototyping,

Active Element

u Activation Dynamics
IRC
(2nd order)

smart knobs for cars X CE Force-Length X

V CE Force-Velocity
Force

Rehabiliation engineering
Fscale

Passive Element

-Tele-rehabilitation X PE Force-Length

-Stroke rehab V PE Force-Velocity

-Driving simulators Muscle mechanics

Human assist machines

-Compact power sources
-Powered exoskeletons
-Natural control
Smart orthotics +
Medical device design electrical stimulation
-Evaluation of surgical tools for gait restoration
 Power
Information
Device Person Device Person

HUMAN/MACHINE DESIGN
Virtual prototyping
X Apply virtual reality technology to create product prototypes
X Move beyond CAD-based visual rendering

See Hear Touch

? ?

? ?
Manual controls are everywhere

•Fixed in space, single d-o-f, low-force, simple graphics

•Sufficiently complex to enable exploration of research questions
System architecture
visual display

aural display
speakers
to visual PC
camera
haptic display
motion, force, torque motor

PC PC PC

servoamp
green
screen
Network
Experimental studies

X Basic research
– Impact of display quality on realism and ability to do
task
– Sensory interaction in multi-modal virtual
environments
– Motor control theory to understand scientific basis for
performance with manual controls
– Designing control knobs that are faster and easier to
operate
X Applied research
– Replace dashboard clutter with single, configurable
knob
– Adaptive panel controls that adjust to capability and
preferences of the user
– Automobiles, aircraft, complex machines, persons with
disabilities, …
Probing experiments
X Compare virtual to real materials
X Sight/sound/touch
X With or without sensory conflict
X To understand multi-modal virtual
environments

speakers

green screen motor

test material

TV itor probe
n
mo reference materials

camera

to SGI
subject
Novel secondary controls for cars
REHABILITATION ENGINEERING

TECHNOLOGY FOR PERSONS

WITH DISABILITIES
Driving simulators in rehab clinics
X Can a simulator be
used to train/evaluate
those with cognitive
impairments?
X Compare on-road
driving performance
to simulator
X Multi-center clinical
trial
Tele-rehab: services and treatment at a
distance
X Motor relearning for X Tele-assessment
stroke Artificial
BW limiting

usb
webcam
LAPTOP network LAPTOP
usb
webcam usb
dig goni

usb
dig dyna

camcorder

private phone line

speakerphone speakerphone

audio line
mic/amp earbud

LOCAL REMOTE
HOW FES WORKS

Brain

Spinal Cord

Stimulator

Limb
 LOWER LIMB FES

FEXTERNAL

Inputs
CONTROL STIMULATOR

Measurements
BRACE (CBO) + FES

Stimulated Muscles =

Brace = Trajectory guidance

Brake = Control, stability

 FES

FES + CBO
MUSCLE MODELS AND ID
Active Element
u
u IRC
Activation Dynamics F
(2nd order)

x,
X CE Force-Length X

V CE Force-Velocity
Force
Fscale Σ

Passive Element

X PE Force-Length
T

V PE Force-Velocity
Experiments on intact muscle

X Activate
muscle with
e-stim
X Measure
force/motion
output
X Use to
parameterize
model
YOU CAN PREDICT MUSCLE
OUTPUT
35

30
Model

Experiment
25
Force (N)

20

15

10

0 4 8 12 16
Time (s)

(Durfee and Palmer, IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng., 41(3):205-216, 1994)

INTACT, HUMAN MUSCLE

Hip flexion (deg)

40

30

20

Knee flexion (deg)

40

20

0
Experiment 0 2 4 6 8
Simulation Time (sec)
 Nonlinear properties of muscle twitch

X Doublet
stimulation
reveals hidden
muscle
properties
X Electrical and
mechanical
output

25 msec

5 msec
Non-invasive muscle disease
diagnosis

X Mechanical and electrical properties

provide window into muscle excitation
contraction
X Smart stimulation, smart system id can
isolate subsystems
X Go beyond, “This muscle is weak, let’s
biopsy.”

University of Minnesota Center for Muscular Dystrophy

Human assist tools
X Compact, internal combustion engine
power sources
X Combustion to electrical, combustion to
pneumatic, combustion to hydraulic
X Natural interface and control
X Tools and exoskeletons

Collaboration with Profs. Li and Kittelson

 Exoskeletons
for Human
Performance
Augmentation
DARPA

www.darpa.mil/dso/thrust/matdev/ehpa.htm
Human/Machine Design Lab
X Mechanical and electrical properties of normal
and diseased muscle
X Electrical stimulation of muscle to restore gait
X Powered, self-contained exoskeletons and tools
X Telerehabilitation for assessment and treatment
X Driving simulators for rehab clinics
X Virtual product prototyping
X Haptic interfaces
X Multi-function virtual knobs
X Evaluation of hand tools for minimally invasive
surgery
Mechanics, electronics, real-time control, design,
fabrication, human-subject experiments