An active orthosis was designed to support users with reduced muscle strength with an additional knee joint torque to improve the independency in everyday activities. In two persons the hypothesis was tested that less muscle activity is necessary when standing up with the active support of a motorized orthosis. The orthosis is a custom-made knee-ankle-foot orthosis and is equipped with a series...

Many coastal and offshore construction activities require the driving of piles into the seabed, either using impact or vibratory pile drivers. Impact pile driving produces an intense impulsive underwater noise that has been associated with fish deaths at very short range, whereas vibratory pile driving produces a lower level continuous noise. Because of the high sound levels involved, noise fro...

The Ponseti method of clubfoot management requires a period of bracing in order to maintain correction. This study compared the effectiveness of ankle foot orthoses and Denis Browne boots and bar in the prevention of recurrence following successful initial management. Between 2001 and 2003, 45 children (69 feet) with idiopathic clubfeet achieved full correction following Ponseti casting with or...

Recurrent clubfoot deformity after successful initial correction with the use of the Ponseti method continues to be a common problem and is often caused by noncompliance with wear of the traditional foot abduction brace. The purpose of this study was to assess the results of a newly designed dynamic foot abduction orthosis in terms of (1) parental compliance and (2) effectiveness in preventing ...

OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were: (i) to evaluate the immediate effects on subluxation and gait pattern of a new shoulder orthosis, developed for treatment of painful shoulder syndrome in subacute stroke patients; and (ii) to evaluate patients' and therapists' opinions about its fit and benefits after 4 weeks. METHODS A total of 40 subacute in-rehabilitation stroke patients with non-func...

BACKGROUND Spinal flexibility is an essential parameter for clinical decision making on the patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Various methods are proposed to assess spinal flexibility, but which assessment method is more effective to predict the effect of orthotic treatment is unclear. OBJECTIVE To investigate an effective assessment method of spinal flexibility to predict ...

The already initiated studies are based on size and forms of abrasive grains, but few studies have addressed the influence on the concentration of abrasive grains. This research has been done to remove some of the mysteries associated in the media "abrasives" or "chips" used in vibratory and barrel finishing, this process included within the functions and characte...

We developed a powered ankle-foot orthosis that uses artificial pneumatic muscles to produce active plantar flexor torque. The purpose of this study was to quantify the mechanical performance of the orthosis during human walking. Three subjects walked at a range of speeds wearing ankle-foot orthoses with either one or two artificial muscles working in parallel. The orthosis produced similar tot...