Human Movement Biomechanics and Biomechatronics

Prof. Kamran Iqbal University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, Arkansas, USA kxiqbal@ualr.edu

Biomechatronics
Biomechatronics is the interdisciplinary study of biology, mechanics and electronics. It focuses on the research and design of assistive and diagnostic devices for patients with disorders of the neuromuscular-skeletal system. Biomechatronics is a contraction of biomechanics and mechatronics. [Its] central focus is on the function and coordination of the human motion apparatus, and the design of assistive devices for its support. Examples are assistive devices like an orthosis, prosthesis or functional electrical stimulation of muscles. The goal is to provide some function to patients with functional deficiencies.
From TU Delft, Netherlands

Biomechatronics
Our mission is to develop wearable robots that improve human mobility, in particular for individuals whose strength and coordination have been affected by amputation, stroke, cerebral palsy, or aging. At present, we are studying ways to improve stability and energy efficiency using robotic prostheses and exoskeletons. We believe appropriate mechanical assistance can not only restore function, but enhance performance beyond typical human limits.
Experimental Biomechatronics Lab at Carnegie-Mellon University

Biomechatronics

MIT media lab

Course Goals
To explore biomechanical and neuro-scientific principles governing human movement To learn how biomechatronic devices and prostheses can help amputees regain motor skills

Biomechatronics

Credit: D. Naidu, Int J Adv Robotic Sys, vol. 9, InTech Pub. 2012

Biomechatronics
Biomechatronics combines the knowledge of biomechanics and biological movement control to design human rehabilitation and augmentation technologies. Typical application areas in biomechatronics include:
Prosthetic arms and legs Orthotics or assistive technologies Exoskeletons Rehabilitation robots Neuroprosthesis
http://www.robaid.com

Biomechatronics devices
Upper extremity prostheses
Transradial/ prosthetic hand Prosthetic arm

Lower extremity prostheses

Trans-tibial/ankle-foot prostheses Transfemoral prosthetic leg

Wheel-chair mounted assistive robotic arms Rehabilitation and training robots Exoskeletons Neuro-prostheses (FES systems) Neuromodulation
drop foot stimulator

Biomechatronics Closely Related Fields

Bioengineering Bioengineering integrates physical, chemical, or mathematical sciences and engineering principles for the study of biology, medicine, behavior, or health. Biomechanics the field of study which makes use of the laws of physics and engineering concepts to describe motion of body segments, and the forces which act upon them Bionics the application of methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology Neural Engineering the merger of systems neurophysiology and engineering in approaches that link brain activity with man-made devices to replace lost sensory and motor function Rehabilitation Technology systematic application of technologies, engineering methodologies, or scientific principles to meet the need of and address the barriers confronted by people with disabilities
Credit: http://www.aimbe.org/resources/medical-biological-engineering-glossary/

Motor Control in Humans

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The central nervous system includes brain and spinal cord Brain is composed of six regions: cerebral hemispheres, medulla, pons, cerebellum, midbrain, and diencephalon The cerebral hemispheres are concerned with perceptual, motor, and cognitive functions, including memory and emotion

Motor Regions in the Brain

Premotor cortex. It plays an important role in sensory guidance; also active in controlling proximal and axial muscles Motor cortex. It is responsible for generating motor neuron commands that activate muscles involved in movement Posterior parietal cortex. It provides spatial information for targeted movements

The Cortico-spinal Tract

Corticospinal tract is the main information highway (backbone) of the CNS that contains about one million axons; about 40% of the corticospinal neurons originate in the motor cortex The descending motor information carried in the corticospinal tract is modulated by sensory, proprioceptive, tactile, and visual information that contributes to movement accuracy In addition, other motor regions of the brain, such as the cerebellum and basal ganglia, also modulate motor neurons to ensure smooth execution of movements

The Corticospinal Tract

Somatosensory and Motor Homunculus

The homunculus illustrates the location and amount of cortical area dedicated to a particular sensory/motor function

The nerve cell

A neuron has four morphologically defined regions:
The cell body, that contains the nucleus and the genetic information (DNA) Dendrites, for receiving signals from other neurons The axon, which projects over long distances (up to 3 m) to target cells Presynaptic nerve terminals, for release of neurotransmitters at synapses with targets

Action Potentials
Action potentials are nerve impulses used by the CNS to receives, analyzes, and conveys information A typical action potential has an amplitude of 100 mV and a duration of about 1 ms Action potentials are regenerated at regular intervals and are conducted down the axon at rates of 1100 m per sec

Hodgkin and Huxley 1939

The Synapse
An average neuron forms more than 1000 synaptic connections Two basic forms of synaptic transmission are:
An electrical transmission that allows the rapid and synchronous firing of interconnected cells A chemical transmission that releases a neurotransmitter from the presynaptic neuron that binds to specific receptors in the postsynaptic cell membrane

A peripheral synapse occurs at the junction of motor neuron with muscle fibers; a single muscle fiber is innervated by just one motor neuron

Peripheral Nervous System

The peripheral nervous system consists of sensory and motor neurons leading to and from the spinal cord
The sensory neurons conduct information from the periphery to the central nervous system The motor neurons convey central motor commands to the muscle fibers

Sensory Neuron
Nerve endings from sensory neurons transforms a physical stimulus (such as a stretch) into electrical activity in the cell

Motor Neurons
Motor neurons conveys motor commands to the skeletal muscle fibers; they receive multiple inputs:
recurrent excitatory inputs from other motor neurons both excitatory and inhibitory inputs from interneurons excitatory input from the primary sensory neurons inhibitory input from Renshaw cells

Hierarchy of the Motor Apparatus

The sensorimotor modalities are hierarchically organized in the CNS At the lowest level, the spinal cord, contains neural circuits that mediate reflexes and perform rhythmic automatism (phasic movements) The brain stem integrates visual, vestibular, and somatosensory information to mediates posture, and control head and eye movements The primary motor cortex regulates corticospinal and other motor tracts; the premotor areas mediate coordinating and planning of complex movements The cerebellum compares descending signals with afferent signals and updates movement if needed (afferent copy)
Cerebellum

Primary motor cortex

Brain stem

Spinal cord

Spinal Reflexes
A reflex arc is established when afferent axons from a sensory receptor make direct excitatory connections to motor neurons innervating the same muscle

Image credit: http://classes.midlandstech.edu/carterp/Courses/bio210/chap11/lecture1.html

Reflex Action
The sequence of events that produces a reflex action

The reflex latency through the spinal cord in the case of monosynaptic stretch reflex is less than 1 ms

Tonic Stretch Reflex

(Davidoff, 1992)
ICET 2011 25/63

Knee-Jerk Reflex

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The CNS comprises brain and spinal cord