Importance

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Abstract

A simulator for driving a prosthetic element includes a prosthetic drive mechanism that drive the prosthetic element during an accelerated wear test of the prosthetic element. A simulation input represents the action of the simulator and a sensor mechanism is used to measure the force and torque applied to the prosthetic element. Position and orientation control sensors are further used to measure displacement of the prosthetic element. A closed loop feedback control system, responsive to the sensors, is used to determine a drive signal for the drive mechanism. The control system advantageously adds a computational model that incorporates mechanical representations of ligament fibers. The computational model is a non-human approximation to situations that would be encountered by the prosthesis within the human body and includes dimensional geometry of insertion sites and mechanical properties of ligament fibers. The computational model is responsive to the position and angular displacement sensors to determine constraint forces and torques of ligaments that mitigate action of the control system. The action of the control system may further be mitigated by the measured force and torque.

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First Claim