The advancements made in technology over the past several decades have brought the field of humanoid robotics closer to integration into the everyday lives of humans. Despite these advances, the cost of these systems consistently remains high, thus limiting the environments in which these robots can be deployed. In this thesis, a pair of low-cost, bio-mimetic legs for a humanoid robot was developed with 12 degrees of freedom: three at the hip, one at the knee, and two at the ankle. Prior to developing the robot, a survey of the human-sized robotic legs released from 2006-2012 was conducted. The analysis included a summary of the key performance metrics and trends in series of human-sized robots. Recommendations were developed for future data reporting that will allow improved comparison of different prototypes. The design of the new robotic legs in this thesis utilized human anatomy data to devise performance parameters and select actuators. The developed system was able to achieve comparable ROM, size, weight, and torque to a six-foot tall human. Position and zero-moment point sensors were integrated for use in balancing, and a control architecture was developed. A model of the leg dynamics was created for designing balancing and walking algorithms. In addition, hydraulic actuators were evaluated for use in humanoid robotics, and testing was conducted in order to create a position control methodology. Finally, a predictive deadband controller was designed that was able to achieve accuracy of less than one degree using a valve with slow switching speed. / Master of Science

thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg, 2013 / Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and Periodic Limb Movements (PLM) are common neurological disorders for which the underlying aetiology is not fully understood. Currently RLS and PLM are thought to be caused by a central deficiency of dopamine or other functional abnormalities of the central nervous system. The work included in this thesis investigated different new methods of assessing the sensory and motor features of RLS and PLM, in an attempt to extend our understanding of their aetiology and improve the accuracy of diagnosis of these conditions. The first two studies in the thesis described and characterized the sensations of RLS symptoms, and whether they are influenced by the presence of pain, in an English speaking South African population. The most frequently cited descriptors were different to those used in the current RLS diagnostic criteria. Inclusion of the most commonly used RLS descriptors in the diagnostic criteria may help to improve the accuracy of RLS diagnosis. Patients who experienced painful RLS had greater McGill Pain Questionnaire scores and used different terms to describe their RLS to those that did not have painful RLS sensations. The third project quantified the responses of the Hoffman and patellar reflexes in RLS patients using electromyography and kinematics. The RLS patients exhibited hyporeflexia in the evening compared to the morning, and compared to control participants. This data suggests that RLS is not the result of a global state of hyperexcitability, as the literature suggests, but may reflect more discrete functional abnormalities of the spinal cord. A diurnal variation in the patellar reflex was found, supporting the notion of circadian variations of spinal excitability in RLS patients. The final investigation assessed the sensory qualities (discomfort and pain) of RLS in conjunction with motor activity evoked by using the Suggested Immobilization Test. Despite rating significant levels of discomfort, the majority of the RLS patients did not exhibit PLM; possibly suggesting a disconnect between the sensory and motor components of RLS. In conclusion, it is the major finding of this thesis that inclusion of new assessment techniques for the measurement of sensory and motor features of RLS and PLM provides both new insights and potential clinical tools enhancing our understanding of these disorders.

Thesis (B.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1978. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Includes bibliographical references. / B.S.

Purpose: A key objective feature in Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is the presence of Periodic Limb Movements (PLMs). The gold standard for documenting PLMs is through polysomnogram (PSG), an overnight sleep study in a sleep laboratory, which is expensive and often inaccessible. This work explored the ability of a portable sleep monitor (PM) to reliably record surface EMG signals, to reliably record limb movements overnight in comparison with PSG, and examined intra- and inter-rater reliability for scoring the PM recordings. Methods: The PM’s surface EMG channel was tested against a standard EMG amplifier by recording bilateral tibialis anterior muscle activity in five healthy participants. It was also tested for recording PLMs simultaneously with polysomnography at Kingston General Hospital with 40 participants referred for screening of sleep disorders. PLMs were scored using standard criteria according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Scoring Manual (2007) Analyses: Comparison between the two methods of surface EMG recording was through counts of muscle activity bursts. Comparison of overnight PLM counts was through t-test, Pearson’s r, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots. Intra-rater reliability and inter-rater reliability between two analysts was examined by ICC. Results: Examination of the PM surface EMG recordings demonstrated an exact match of muscle activity counts between the PM and standard EMG recordings. In the PSG study, mean difference between the two PLMI values was +4.8 ± 11.1, t (34) = 2.1, p = 0.04, which was statistically significant and demonstrated systematic over-reporting by the portable monitor. The two PLMI values were strongly correlated, giving a Pearson’s r = .87, p < 0.001. ICC for absolute agreement was 0.87, (95% CI, 0.76 – 0.93), p < 0.001. Bland-Altman analysis gave 95% limits of agreement between the two PLM Indices as +27.9 (95% CI +33.0 to 20.2) to – 19.3 (95%CI -10.6 to -23.4). Conclusions: These data suggest there may be sufficient agreement between PLMI collected by PM and polysomnography to support the use of the PM for measuring PLMs. Further testing should address test retest reliability and examine the performance of the PM in a wider patient population. / Thesis (Master, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2012-08-24 16:40:03.381

Thesis (M.S.)--University of British Columbia, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-57). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M. S.)--Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. / Committee Chair: DeWeerth, Stephen P.; Committee Co-Chair: Ting, Lena H.; Committee Member: Burkholder, Thomas J.; Committee Member: Nichols, T. Richard; Committee Member: Tresch, Matthew C.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of British Columbia, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-57).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 139-145).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of British Columbia, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-50). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of British Columbia, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-50).