Cervical Spine Motion Fixture for Isokinetic Torque Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices lack the ability to provide meaningful tracking and databasing of a patient's strength, endurance, power, and torque output at each point in assessing a range of motion, particularly for cervical spine movements, and do not offer real-time analysis or standardized, transportable equipment for cervical spine range of motion and strength assessment.
Innovation Solution
A cervical spine movement measuring device that interfaces with an isokinetic dynamometer, allowing for the assessment of flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotational movements, providing quantifiable and objective data through a universal design that can be used with existing dynamometers without requiring additional machinery or specialized training.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional testing system uses a rigid head restraint assembly, then the structural stability is improved, but the ability to simulate real-world head movement and flexion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The head restraint assembly is transformed from a rigid structure to a dynamic one by incorporating a robotic manipulator with multiple degrees of freedom. The robotic system can actively control head position and orientation, allowing the structure to adapt its configuration based on testing requirements while maintaining structural integrity through controlled actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The head restraint assembly is divided into separate functional modules: a robotic manipulator with multiple joints, a headform mounting interface, and a control system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the robotic system provides mobility while the mounting interface maintains structural stability during testing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the testing system allows full range of motion, then the realism of crash test simulation is improved, but the measurement precision and control accuracy become difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors and control systems that continuously monitor head position, velocity, and acceleration. This feedback enables real-time adjustment of robotic manipulator actuators to maintain precise control over head motion parameters even during full-range movements, ensuring measurement accuracy is preserved throughout the entire motion envelope.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic manipulator is designed with multiple degrees of freedom and programmable control capabilities, allowing it to perform various testing protocols (different crash scenarios, impact angles, and motion profiles) while maintaining consistent measurement precision across all test types through unified control algorithms.
3Ease of operation
If a robotic system is used to control head position, then the ease of operation and programmability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A control system acts as an intermediary between the operator and the complex robotic manipulator. This control layer provides simplified interfaces for programming test sequences, automatically manages the coordination of multiple robotic joints, and handles real-time adjustments, thereby making the complex system easy to operate while maintaining full programmability for various test scenarios.
Data Source
Figure 1~2B
Figure 2C~2H
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A cervical spine movement measuring device having a main frame having a plurality of arms or maintain ng the head of a person n position and a torsion system adjustably attached to the main frame for positioning the torsion system, with an input shaft, relative to the main frame. The measuring device can have a main frame with a plurality of arms. Each of the plurality of arms can have at least one pad. The pad is configured to hold a head of a patient. The input shaft can connect to an isokinetic dynamometer via an interphase connector. An isokinetic dynamometer can be configured to measure range of motion and torque of the wearer during an assessment. The device can have an input shaft that is positionable about a plurality of pivot points. The input shaft can be adjustably secured to the main frame. The measuring device allows for assessment and evaluation of cervical spine flexion, extension, right lateral flexion, left lateral flexion, right rotation, and left rotation.