State Estimation of Sensorized Knee Brace

The State Estimation of Sensorized Knee Brace project aims to improvize upon post-surgery monitoring and analysis, empowering patients to recover effectively outside clinical environments. By integrating soft robotic sensors with state-of-the-art estimation techniques, this project bridges cutting-edge technology and real-world medical applications.

Key Contributions

• Fabrication and Sensorization Designed and fabricated a sensorized knee brace equipped with capacitive soft robotic sensors for continuous monitoring of knee movements.
• Activity Classification and Warnings Developed a system capable of classifying user activities and issuing warnings for improper movements, ensuring proactive user assistance during rehabilitation.
• Advanced State Estimation Applied diverse filtering techniques to enhance gait analysis precision, leveraging data from capacitive sensors for real-time insights.
• Clinical Collaboration Partnered with surgeons to bridge the research-practice gap, ensuring practical implementation and conducting patient trials to validate the device’s utility and viability.

Impact

This project paves the way for smarter rehabilitation solutions by:

• Providing continuous, real-time monitoring of post-surgery movements outside clinical settings.
• Offering proactive assistance to reduce the risk of improper movements and accelerate recovery.
• Improving the accuracy of gait analysis through advanced state estimation techniques.

Challenges Addressed

• Designing robust sensors to operate in diverse environments and activities.
• Ensuring accurate state estimation for dynamic, real-time gait analysis.
• Collaborating with medical practitioners to adapt the system for real-world use.

This sensorized knee brace project represents a leap forward in biomechanical rehabilitation technology, offering patients a smarter and more supportive recovery process.