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Gait Assessment Manumitted from the Biomechanics Laboratory Environment

Ziel

The AMBLE project will implement motion analysis in an ambulatory framework which can be freely used within any environment and over any distance.

The main clinical goal of this project is to achieve the first ever full kinematics assessment of disabled or older persons in their natural environment. Kinematics assessment under laboratory conditions has only limited value since few people experience gait difficulties when walking in a straight line in a carefully controlled environment. Ambulatory assessment of gait is the only way to evaluate patients' dynamic response to perturbation of their gait and this is a growing filed of biomechanical investigation; however there is currently no commercially available system to support ambulatory kinematic measurement.

Technical Approach: The main technology deliverable from this project will be a combination of solid-state gyroscope and gallium-arsenide strain gauge devices which will be capable of delivering accurately and consistently the relative spatial locations of specific bony land-marks on the human body to which they are attached. This will be controlled by a Graphical User Interface (GUI) which will be friendly and meaningful to the clinicians using the system.

The solid-state gyro devices have recently been successfully implemented in a head-operated pointing device for GUI, however some further development is required to enhance their stability for use in this application. The basis of the system concept is an alternating sequence of vector directions and vector lengths by which each marker location is defined in terms of a spherical polar co-ordinate system originating from the previous marker in the system. The use of solid state gyro devices is completely innovative in this context, as is the concept of a 'daisy-chain' of local spherical polar co-ordinate systems to characterise locomotion kinematics. This concept requires development and implementation. Furthermore, standard protocols for ambulatory assessment must be designed.

The steps involved in the project are as follows:

- Evaluate the technology and quantify target specifications for the performance of the system.
- Launch the concept with a simple product in the form of a novel device for ambulatory measurement of human body-segment Ruler angles
- On the basis of full co-operation between all partners: specify, implement and refine the various components of the overall system.
- Review the system against the baseline of the target specifications
- Complete the specification of assessment protocols
- Use the system in clinical trials within real clinical contexts

Impact and Expected Results: The outcome of this project will be a prototype measurement system which should be attractive to clinicians currently engaged in evaluation of motor function in elderly and disabled patients. It is estimated that up to 10% of the adult population suffer from a disability which could benefit from such assessment. The involvement in the team of major clinical gait laboratories in each of 3 EC member states and 1 EFTA country will ensure the relevance of this development.

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Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

Data not available

Finanzierungsplan

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Koordinator

Musgrave Park Hospital
EU-Beitrag
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Adresse
Balmoral
BT9 7JB Belfast
Vereinigtes Königreich

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Beteiligte (6)

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Letzte Aktualisierung: 31 August 1995

Mein Booklet

Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/1064/de

European Union, 2024