FYI: ROBOTICS: Amputees walk easier thanks to 'smart' leg

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FYI: ROBOTICS: Amputees walk easier
thanks to 'smart' leg















 "Thodsaporn Bunthae" is my's younger brother. :-)

================================================================================
From: Dr.Djitt Laowattana [mailto:dj...@fibo.kmutt.ac.th]
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 8:37 PM
To: 'WhoWorkAtFibo'
Subject: Toon-Thod และ กิฟท์ : [FIBO News]: Amputees walk easier thanks to
'smart' leg

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 Mon, March 31, 2008 : Last updated 18:33 hours
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http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/03/31/technology/technology_30069589.php


ROBOTICS

Amputees walk easier thanks to 'smart' leg
Prosthetic device uses sensors to adjust walking pattern
Published on March 31, 2008
Pongpen Sutharoj
The Nation

For amputees, the dream of having an artificial leg which can work as an
integral part of the human body is not far off. Efforts are underway to
develop a new type of electronic prosthetic leg, which could help amputees
walk more naturally.
With experience in developing the lower part of a humanoid robot and
calibrating its walking pattern, the Institute of Field Robotics "FIBO" (
http://www.fibo.kmutt.ac.th) is working on a new project to build an
electronic prosthetic leg.

The new leg, designed to be worn on the upper knee, uses sensor technology
to detect the wearer's walking pattern and adjusts itself to allow walking
customised for the user, Thodsaporn Bunthae, a researcher at FIBO, said.
He designed the artificial leg with a variable damper, which is similar to
a vehicle's choke-up mechanism, to smoothen out and dampen sudden shocks so
that the amputee can walk smoothly.

As a more significant feature, Thodsaporn has incorporated a sensor system
to make the leg more "intelligent". The system detects all movements to
adjust a walking pattern suited to the wearer. "We have two key sensors in
the leg. The first sensor is used to measure the degree of the knee's
movement while the second helps detect forces each time the amputee walks,"
he said.  Thodsaporn said information from the two sensors is processed by
an inbuilt computer system which calculates a suitable dampening rate for
each individual.
The result is used to help adjust the damper automatically. "So, whether
the wearer walks fast or slow, the sensor will detect all movements at all
times and the leg will self-adjust the damper," he said. The "intelligent
leg" will make the amputee's life more comfortable as it will customise
itself to the wearer and work out a walking pattern that provides the
utmost comfort.
The prosthetic leg with the embedded microprocessor is now under
development and the first prototype is expected in the next few months.
FIBO has received Bt600,000 funding from the National Electronics and
Computer Technology Centre (Nectec) to develop locally made prosthetic legs
at affordable prices. FIBO is also working with Sirindhorn National Medical
Rehabilitation Centre and the Prostheses Foundation of HRH the Princess
Mother to help design the new leg.  As part of this project, FIBO has
developed two other models of artificial legs using a variable damper. The
first model allows the amputee to make manual adjustments to the dampening
rate to suit their walking patterns.The second model can be used with a
remote control to control the damper adjustment wirelessly.



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 http://fibo.kmutt.ac.th
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[Vipas.Sukt...@seagate.com]

"Theppakorn To
Bunthae" Vipas.Sukt...@Seagate.com,
<tbunthae@gmail.c Panda1...@yahoo.com,
om> Panda1...@hotmail.com
cc
04/03/2008 08:31
bcc

Subject
FYI: ROBOTICS: Amputees walk easier
thanks to 'smart' leg















 "Thodsaporn Bunthae" is my's younger brother. :-)

================================================================================
From: Dr.Djitt Laowattana [mailto:dj...@fibo.kmutt.ac.th]
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 8:37 PM
To: 'WhoWorkAtFibo'
Subject: Toon-Thod และ กิฟท์ : [FIBO News]: Amputees walk easier thanks to
'smart' leg

ขอให้ใช้ content ข้างล่างนี้ สำหรับ FIBO Homepgae โดยทศพรต้องหารูปหรือ Video Clip มา
เพิ่มเติม
By the way, ทศพรได้รูปวันงานที่ทศพรบรรยายถวายแด่สมเด็จพระเทพเสด็จจากคุณจักรพงศ์แล้วหรือ
ยังครับ?

ชิต

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Mon, March 31, 2008 : Last updated 18:33 hours

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