Most below-knee prostheses are manufactured in Iraq without considering the fast progress in smart prostheses, which can offer movements in the desired directions according to the type of control system designed for this purpose. The proposed design appears to have the advantages of simplicity, affordability, better load distribution, suitability for subjects with transtibial amputation, and viability in countries with people having low socio-economic status. The designed prosthetics consisted of foot, ball, and socket joints, two stepper motors, a linkage system, and an EMG shield. All these materials were available in the local markets in Iraq. The experimental results showed that the maximum range of motion to move the designed prosthetic in the sagittal and frontal planes reached 70% of the healthy foot range of motion relative to the signals of the gastrocnemius muscle of a healthy leg person. The angles that represented the range of motion achieved in various directions at the ankle joint were Dorsiflexion Angle (35˚), Plantar Flexion Angle (25˚), Inversion Angle (20˚), and Eversion Angle (15˚).
Analyzing plantar pressure trajectories is crucial for assessing foot behavior in dynamic gait stability. We propose the identification of foot symmetry and the detection of deformities by analyzing the trajectories of the center of pressure (CoP) and peak pressure (PP). First, using a foot pressure mapping system, plantar pressure data are acquired during a normal gait cycle. After the data have been acquired, post processing extracts both the CoP and PP trajectories over the spatiotemporal domain of foot motion for each foot independently. For this purpose, we used the optical flow technique which accurately estimates the direction of foot motion. The extracted trajectories of each foot are then segmented into, the medial and lateral regi
... Show MoreBackground: Arthrogryposis Multiplex congenita is a
rare disorder, characterized by multiple joint deformities
i.e. multiple congenital contractures, with shapelessly
cylindrical limbs and absent skin creases.
Club foot can be the only obvious deformity of this
widespread disorder.
Objective: To assess the most frequent recurrent
deformity after extensive soft-tissue release operations for
arthrogrypotic club foot and its appropriate treatment
regarding combined tendon transfer and bony operations.
Methods: A retrospective study of 14 patients with
arthrogrypotic club foot (28 feet), had been operated on by
multiple soft tissue and bony operations and followed in a
period between January (1993) till
Ground-based active optical sensors (GBAOS) have been successfully used in agriculture to predict crop yield potential (YP) early in the season and to improvise N rates for optimal crop yield. However, the models were found weak or inconsistent due to environmental variation especially rainfall. The objectives of the study were to evaluate if GBAOS could predict YP across multiple locations, soil types, cultivation systems, and rainfall differences. This study was carried from 2011 to 2013 on corn (Zea mays L.) in North Dakota, and in 2017 in potatoes in Maine. Six N rates were used on 50 sites in North Dakota and 12 N rates on two sites, one dryland and one irrigated, in Maine. Two active GBAOS used for this study were GreenSeeker and Holl
... Show MoreObjective: An efficient solution for stabilization is the mobilization of the joints for the arthrokinematics affected by the positional defect of the CAI (i.e. chronic ankle instability). This study put to comparison the impacts of ankle dorsi flexion range of motion (DFROM) as well as dynamic balance ability (DBA) in the patients who have CAI using PJM (i.e. passive joint mobilization), a technique typically been used in previous works, and active joint mobilization (AJM), a technique which could have a greater impact on cortical excitability with the spontaneous movement. Design: rehabilitation program to treat recurrent ankle. Methods: A total of 10 players from the Iraqi clubs Muay Thai team were registered, 5 from each of
... Show MoreIn this paper, we implement and examine a Simulink model with electroencephalography (EEG) to control many actuators based on brain waves. This will be in great demand since it will be useful for certain individuals who are unable to access some control units that need direct contact with humans. In the beginning, ten volunteers of a wide range of (20-66) participated in this study, and the statistical measurements were first calculated for all eight channels. Then the number of channels was reduced by half according to the activation of brain regions within the utilized protocol and the processing time also decreased. Consequently, four of the participants (three males and one female) were chosen to examine the Simulink model during di
... Show MoreIn this paper, we implement and examine a Simulink model with electroencephalography (EEG) to control many actuators based on brain waves. This will be in great demand since it will be useful for certain individuals who are unable to access some control units that need direct contact with humans. In the beginning, ten volunteers of a wide range of (20-66) participated in this study, and the statistical measurements were first calculated for all eight channels. Then the number of channels was reduced by half according to the activation of brain regions within the utilized protocol and the processing time also decreased. Consequently, four of the participants (three males and one female) were chosen to examine the Simulink model duri
... Show MoreAs they are the smallest functional parts of the muscle, motor units (MUs) are considered as the basic building blocks of the neuromuscular system. Monitoring MU recruitment, de-recruitment, and firing rate (by either invasive or surface techniques) leads to the understanding of motor control strategies and of their pathological alterations. EMG signal decomposition is the process of identification and classification of individual motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) in the interference pattern detected with either intramuscular or surface electrodes. Signal processing techniques were used in EMG signal decomposition to understand fundamental and physiological issues. Many techniques have been developed to decompose intramuscularly detec
... Show MoreFoot and ankle movements are essential in various activities like walking, running, and balance, where the mechanics of these movements are affected by the muscles around the ankle joint [1,2]. In this study, the correlations between isometric ankle torque and muscle activity of the tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (GAS) in the course of dorsiflexion and plantarflexion was investigated. Eight healthy participants were enrolled for the study, where the ankle torque and surface Electromyography (sEMG) of the main flexors were measured and analyzed. The results showed that ankle torque is higher in plantarflexion than dorsiflexion. In addition, the TA has greater muscle activity during dorsiflexion, while the GAS presents higher ac
... Show More