Prone Infant Crawler With Intent-Sensing Motor Assistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Infants with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, and spina-bifida face difficulties in early locomotion, and current methods rely on manual guidance by therapists based on clinical judgment.
Innovation Solution
A motorized wheeled platform that senses an infant's intent and provides gentle encouragement for movement, using an industrial trackball, DC torque motors, load cells, and tri-axial accelerometer gyros to assist prone locomotion, with customizable software algorithms for directional assistance and obstacle detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual guidance by therapists is used, then locomotion assistance is provided, but the process relies on subjective clinical judgment and is not objective or quantifiable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual therapeutic guidance with an automated sensor-based system. Force sensors, load cells, and motion detectors objectively measure infant movement intent, replacing subjective clinical judgment with quantifiable data. This substitution enables precise measurement of infant intent while maintaining a relatively simple device structure through electronic automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the infant to initiate and control their own movement assistance. The automated sensors detect infant intent and the system responds autonomously without requiring continuous therapist intervention. This gives the infant agency over their rehabilitation process while providing objective, consistent measurement and assistance.
2Measurement precision
If automated sensing systems are added to detect infant intent, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multi-functional sensors and controllers that perform multiple tasks. Force sensors simultaneously measure weight distribution and movement intent; load cells monitor both position and force application; the controller integrates sensing, processing, and actuation functions. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components needed while achieving high measurement precision for detecting infant movement intent.
3Productivity
If the device provides active motorized assistance, then locomotion facilitation improves, but the infant's own movement initiation capability may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic, adaptive assistance system that adjusts its level of support based on real-time sensor feedback. The controller monitors infant movement attempts and modulates motorized assistance accordingly, providing more support when needed and less when the infant demonstrates capability. This dynamic adjustment maintains the infant's self-initiated movement capability while accelerating locomotion development through appropriate assistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates continuous feedback loops where sensors detect infant movement intent and the controller adjusts assistance in real-time. This feedback mechanism ensures the infant remains in control of movement initiation while receiving timely, appropriate support. The feedback system adapts to the infant's changing capabilities, promoting self-initiated movement while facilitating faster locomotion development.
Data Source
AI summary
A self initiated prone progressive crawler facilitates crawling in infants by sensing the infant's intent and assisting movement. The device is designed as a mobility aid to assist an infant in prone locomotion. The infant can be placed in a prone position on a platform and secured with hook and loop straps. The arms and legs are unconstrained and are able to reach the floor comfortably. The self initiated prone progressive crawler is a motorized wheeled platform which has three points of contact with the ground. One point is an industrial trackball, mounted upside down to provide positional and positional derivative data to a controller. It is located roughly under the chest of the infant and is highly sensitive to movement. The other points of contact are two DC torque motors which are controlled by the controller. In addition to the positional and positional derivative data provided to the controller, the controller also receives data from four equally spaced load cells on a force plate and tn-axial accelerometer gyros attached to the upper and lower extremities of the child. The load cells provide force information between the infant and the device to allow weight shifts to be assessed and used as a control parameter. The accelerometer gyros generate data that provides patterns that can be correlated with crawling movements.