Hand exoskeleton capable of changing positions and molds of pressure signals to increase limb perception

Abstract

The invention relates to a hand exoskeleton capable of changing positions and models of pressure signals to increase limb perception, which comprises a hand exoskeleton with a controller and a lining arranged in the hand exoskeleton and attached to skin, the surface of the lining is provided with a pressure sensor corresponding to the finger pulp of the sensory disorder, and is provided with a stimulation generator corresponding to the limb position more sensitive to the finger pulp of the sensory disorder, and an electromyographic signal acquisition device for receiving electromyographic signals of the limb controlled by the brain center; the controller is used for converting a pressure signal received by the pressure sensor into a stimulation signal output by the stimulation generator, receiving an electromyographic signal generated after the brain center is stimulated and then controlling exoskeleton movement. For fingers with sensory disorder caused by diseases such as central nervous system injury or peripheral nervous system injury and the like, limb perception can be increased in a transposition and model-changing stimulation mode, sensory information is fed back to the brain center through peripheral nerves, and closed-loop regulation and control with human and exoskeleton as a whole is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of hand exoskeletons, and in particular relates to a hand exoskeleton which can increase limb perception by changing the position and mode of pressure signals. Background Art

[0002] Damage to the central nervous system or peripheral nervous system can lead to abnormal sensory and motor functions of the limbs, especially the hands. Central nervous system damage such as cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction and other strokes can cause hemiplegia of the limbs, manifested as spasms on one side of the limbs, especially the inability of the hands to complete grasping and opening movements, and decreased tactile sensation of the fingers. Peripheral nervous system damage such as full brachial plexus damage or single nerve damage can cause loss of overall or partial motor and sensory functions of the hands.

[0003] With the development and update of rehabilitation equipment technology, exoskeletons that assist in hand movement rehabilitation have emerged. They can provide periodic rehabilitation treatment for hands with sensory motor disorders, or improve the motor ability of the hands during daily wear to complete the behaviors required for life and work. For the regulation of hand movements, the input of sensory information is an important component. For fingers with sensory disorders, how to effectively transmit the sensory information that the fingers should have received to the brain center is one of the problems that need to be solved. Otherwise, the sensory information is only fed back to the exoskeleton, and only closed-loop regulation at the exoskeleton level can be achieved; only by feeding back the sensory information to the brain center can the closed-loop regulation of the human and the exoskeleton as a whole be achieved, and the ontology of the exoskeleton be achieved. Summary of the invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a hand exoskeleton that can increase limb perception by changing the position and model of pressure signals, so as to realize closed-loop control of humans and exoskeletons as a whole and achieve the ontology of exoskeletons.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problems is: to provide a hand exoskeleton that changes the position and model of pressure signals to increase limb perception, including a hand exoskeleton with a controller, and also including an inner lining arranged in the hand exoskeleton and in contact with the skin, the surface of the inner lining is provided with a pressure sensor corresponding to the position of the fingertips of sensory impairment, a stimulation generator corresponding to the position of the limb that is more sensitive than the fingertips of sensory impairment, and an electromyographic signal acquisition device that receives the electromyographic signal of the limb controlled by the brain center, the controller is used to convert the pressure signal received by the pressure sensor into a stimulation signal output by the stimulation generator, receive the electromyographic signal generated after the brain center is stimulated to control the exoskeleton activity, and control the hand activity of the sensory impairment through the exoskeleton.

[0006] Preferably, the hand exoskeleton includes: a mechanical structure, connected to the hand with sensory impairment, used to drive the hand with sensory impairment to move; a driving system, connected to the mechanical structure, used to drive the mechanical structure to move; a controller, used to receive signals from various sensors and adjust the behavior of the driving system so that the hand exoskeleton can move as expected; and an energy system, connected to the driving system and the controller to provide power thereto.

[0007] Preferably, the stimulation generator is a micro-electric stimulator or a vibration stimulator.

[0008] Preferably, the controller may convert the electrical signal of the pressure sensor into a stimulation signal, and the intensity of the stimulation signal may increase linearly or in multiple steps as the electrical signal of the pressure sensor increases.

[0009] Preferably, when the stimulation generator is a micro-electric stimulator, the electrical stimulation intensity provided by the micro-electric stimulator is 2mA~100mA, and the limb positions that are more sensitive than the sensory impaired fingertips include the base of the thumb, the back of the hand, the inner forearm or the skin on the inner side of the upper arm.

[0010] Preferably, when the stimulation generator is a vibration stimulator, the vibration intensity of the vibration stimulator is 1Hz~100Hz, and the limb positions that are more sensitive than the sensory impaired fingertips include metacarpophalangeal joints, wrist joints, arm joints and other joints.

[0011] The beneficial effects are: due to the adoption of the above technical scheme, compared with the prior art, it has the following advantages and positive effects: 1. The pressure of the fingertips is converted into physical stimulation and acts on the skin or joints on the surface of the limbs that are more sensitive than the fingertips with sensory impairment, which can increase the brain's perception of the limbs and enable the brain to have sensory feedback information when outputting movement intentions to the muscles; 2. The pressure of the fingertips is converted into physical stimulation such as micro-electric stimulation or vibration stimulation, the pressure sensation is a shallow sensation, and the electric shock sensation or vibration sensation is a deep sensation, which realizes the conversion of shallow sensation into deep sensation, and can enable the limbs with sensory impairment to obtain more sensory information; the sensory stimulation is transmitted to the brain center through the limbs, and is integrated with the myoelectrically controlled motor exoskeleton to realize closed-loop regulation of the human and the exoskeleton as a whole, thereby achieving the ontology of the exoskeleton. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the control principle of a hand exoskeleton that converts pressure signals into different positions and models to increase limb perception.

[0013] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the use of control principle.

[0014] Among them, 1-pressure sensor; 2-pressure signal wire; 3-controller; 4-stimulation signal wire; 5-stimulation generator; 6-electromyography control. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, it should be understood that after reading the content taught by the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to the present invention, and these equivalent forms fall within the scope limited by the appended claims of the application equally.

[0016] like Figure 1-Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides a hand exoskeleton that changes the position and model of pressure signals to increase limb perception, including a hand exoskeleton with a controller 3, and also including an inner lining arranged in the hand exoskeleton and in contact with the skin, the surface of the inner lining is provided with a pressure sensor 1 corresponding to the position of the fingertips of sensory impairment, a stimulation generator 5 corresponding to the position of the limb that is more sensitive than the fingertips of sensory impairment, and an electromyographic signal acquisition device that receives the electromyographic signal of the limb controlled by the brain center, the controller 3 is used to convert the pressure signal received by the pressure sensor 1 into a stimulation signal output by the stimulation generator 5, receive the electromyographic signal generated after the brain center is stimulated to control the exoskeleton activity, and control the hand activity of the sensory impairment through the exoskeleton.

[0017] The present invention comprises the following steps in use: a) A rigid or flexible pressure sensor 1 is selected as required, and is covered on the surface of one or five fingertips of one hand. When pressure is generated by grasping an object, the pressure sensor 1 converts the pressure information into an electrical signal and transmits it to the controller 3 via a wire.

[0018] b) The controller 3 converts the electrical signal into a stimulation signal. The parameter relationship between the two signals can be linearly increasing or multi-step increasing according to the needs, and transmits the signal to the stimulation generator 5 via the wire.

[0019] c) The stimulation generator 5 receives the stimulation signal and can select micro-electric stimulation or vibration stimulation as needed, acting on the skin or joints on the surface of the limbs that are more sensitive than the fingertips with sensory impairment, so that it can be transmitted to the brain center through the peripheral nerves.

[0020] d) The above steps can achieve the change of position and mode of the pressure signal of the fingertips, that is, change the stimulation position and change the mode of the stimulation signal, and transmit it to the brain center, thereby increasing the brain's perception of the limbs and enabling the brain to have sensory feedback information when outputting movement intentions to the muscles.

[0021] e) The brain outputs movement intentions to the muscles, which can be recognized by the electromyographically controlled exoskeleton to drive the movement of the limbs, especially the hands.

[0022] f) The above can realize closed-loop control of the human and the exoskeleton as a whole, achieving the ontology of the exoskeleton.

[0023] The pressure sensor 1 may be a flexible sensor or a rigid sensor. When the pressure sensor 1 is a flexible sensor, it may be deformed together with the fingertips of the patient. When the pressure sensor 1 is a rigid sensor, the shape of the pressure sensor 1 has an arc that matches the fingertips.

[0024] In a specific embodiment, the pressure sensor 1 covers the surfaces of the five fingertips of the hand with sensory impairment. When pressure is generated by grasping an object, the pressure sensor 1 converts the pressure information into an electrical signal, and then transmits the electrical signal to the controller 3 through the pressure signal wire 2; the controller 3 can convert the above electrical signal into a stimulation signal and transmit it to the stimulation generator 5 through the stimulation signal wire 4, and the intensity of the stimulation signal can increase more gradually with the increase of the pressure signal; the stimulation generator 5 can convert the above stimulation signal into a physical stimulation to act on the skin or joints on the surface of the limb that are more sensitive than the fingertips of the sensory impairment; after the brain center is stimulated, it feeds back the electromyographic signal along with the movement intention, and the electromyographic signal acquisition device collects the electromyographic signal and feeds it back to the controller 3, so that the present invention can detect the surface electromyography of the muscle through the skin, identify the movement intention of the brain, and finally drive the movement of the limb by the exoskeleton.

[0025] The stimulation generator 5 is a micro-electric stimulator or a vibration stimulator. The controller 3 can convert the electrical signal of the pressure sensor 1 into a stimulation signal, and the intensity of the stimulation signal can be linearly increased or multi-step increased as the electrical signal of the pressure sensor 1 increases.

[0026] In a specific embodiment, when the stimulation generator 5 is a micro-electric stimulator, the electrical stimulation intensity provided by the micro-electric stimulator is 2mA~100mA, and the limb positions that are more sensitive than the sensory impaired fingertips include the base of the thumb, the back of the hand, the inner forearm or the skin on the inner side of the upper arm.

[0027] In another embodiment, when the stimulation generator 5 is a vibration stimulator, the vibration intensity of the vibration stimulator is 1Hz~100Hz, and the limb positions that are more sensitive than the sensory impaired fingertips include metacarpophalangeal joints, wrist joints, arm joints and other joints.

[0028] The present invention can adopt the mechanical control structure of the hand exoskeleton commonly used in the prior art. The common hand exoskeleton includes a mechanical structure, a drive system, a controller 3 and an energy system.

[0029] The mechanical structure is connected to the hand with sensory impairment, and the mechanical structure can realize limb movement through flexible traction or rigid traction. Specifically, the mechanical structure can be a connecting rod device, a pulley mechanism or a gear device. The connecting rod device can be a four-bar or six-bar mechanism, which is driven by a motor to realize the bending and extension of the fingers. The pulley mechanism and the gear device drive the cable or gear to rotate through the motor, thereby driving the finger movement.

[0030] The drive system is connected to the mechanical structure and is used to drive the mechanical structure to move. Specifically, the drive system can be electric, such as using a DC motor, or pneumatic, such as using a pneumatic rod or pneumatic rubber muscle. These drive systems are responsible for providing power to enable the exoskeleton to perform various hand movements.

[0031] The controller 3 is used to receive signals from various sensors and adjust the behavior of the drive system so that the hand exoskeleton can move as expected. The control mode in the present invention is bioelectric control such as myoelectric control.

[0032] The energy system is connected to the drive system and the controller 3 to provide them with power, and specifically, a mobile battery or power wiring can be used.

[0033] In addition, in order to better collect, count or display data, the hand exoskeleton can also be provided with a human-computer interaction interface.

Claims

1. A hand exoskeleton that increases limb perception by transposing and changing the pressure signal, including a hand exoskeleton with a controller, characterized in that: It also includes an inner lining arranged in the hand exoskeleton and in contact with the skin, wherein a pressure sensor is provided on the surface of the inner lining corresponding to the fingertips of the sensory impairment, a stimulation generator is provided corresponding to the limb position that is more sensitive than the fingertips of the sensory impairment, and an electromyographic signal acquisition device is provided for receiving the electromyographic signal of the limbs controlled by the brain center. The controller is used to convert the pressure signal received by the pressure sensor into a stimulation signal output by the stimulation generator, receive the electromyographic signal generated after the brain center is stimulated to control the exoskeleton activity, and control the hand activity of the sensory disorder through the exoskeleton.

2. A hand exoskeleton for increasing limb perception by transposing and changing the pressure signal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hand exoskeleton comprises: A mechanical structure connected to the sensory-impaired hand to drive the sensory-impaired hand to move; A driving system, connected to the mechanical structure, for driving the mechanical structure to move; A controller, used to receive signals from various sensors and adjust the behavior of the drive system so that the hand exoskeleton can move as expected; The energy system is connected to the drive system and the controller to provide electric power therefor.

3. The hand exoskeleton for increasing limb perception by transposing and changing the pressure signal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stimulation generator is a micro-electric stimulator or a vibration stimulator.

4. The hand exoskeleton for increasing limb perception by transposing and changing the pressure signal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller may convert the electrical signal of the pressure sensor into a stimulation signal, and the intensity of the stimulation signal may increase linearly or in multiple steps as the electrical signal of the pressure sensor increases.

5. The hand exoskeleton for increasing limb perception by transposing and changing the pressure signal according to claim 3, characterized in that: When the stimulation generator is a micro-electric stimulator, the electrical stimulation intensity provided by the micro-electric stimulator is 2mA~100mA, and the limb positions that are more sensitive than the sensory impaired fingertips include the base of the thumb, the back of the hand, the inner forearm or the skin on the inner side of the upper arm.

6. The hand exoskeleton for increasing limb perception by transposing and changing the pressure signal according to claim 3, characterized in that: When the stimulation generator is a vibration stimulator, the vibration intensity of the vibration stimulator is 1Hz~100Hz, and the limb positions that are more sensitive than the sensory impaired fingertips include metacarpophalangeal joints, wrist joints, arm joints and other joints.

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