A Synthesis of Science, Mathematics and Computer Science:

Medical Applications, Space Explorationand Robotics

A Synthesis of Science, Mathematics and Computer Science:

Medical Applications, Space Explorationand Robotics

Theodore Raphan

Dept. Of Computer and Information Science

Brooklyn College and Graduate Center

City University of New York

NASA Roadmap

Bone Loss (Osteoporosis)

• A disease of excessive demineralization of bone, which on average starts to take place in both sexes after age 35. Men are less affected. •The decrease in the bone density of postmenopausal women is a much more serious problem, however by age 75, the gap closes where both genders become equally prone for bone loss.

•For instance, after sustaining a hip fracture, it is estimated that 20% of patients die within one year, 50% cannot walk any longer without assistance, while 25% may have to be institutionalized in long-term nursing care facilities.

Bone Remodeling• A process where the adult skeleton undergoes a continuous turnover whereby old bone is resorbed by osteoclasts and new bone is formed by osteoblasts.

•Osteoclasts are cell types that degrade bone and its protein components by releasing calcium from bone into circulation, where calcium can either remain, or be excreted

•Osteoblasts are cell types that synthesizes new bone.

•Exercise and Bone Loading is Extremely Important for Bone Health

Bone Loss

Comparison of Normal and Abnormal Bone

Conclusions

• Computer Image Analysis is Becoming an Important TechniqueFor early detection of problems of Bone Density and Architecture

• The image analysis shows that bone architecture as well as bone density are important factors in bone health

• Computer Image Analysis in Three Dimensions shows even greater promise of identifying factors that contribute to osteoporosis by examining its archtecture and density in 3D.

Sensory Motor Function and Adaptation

• Maintains Balance While Walking and Running

• Helps See Clearly While Moving or Objects Move

• Eye Hand Coordination (Hitting a Baseball)

• Many Other Functions

Sensory-Motor Function Necessary For Space Travel

Peripheral Vestibular System (Labyrinth)

Basic Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR)

HEAD TRANSLATIONHEAD TRANSLATION

COMPENSATORY GAZE MECHANISMSCOMPENSATORY Angular Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (aVOR)

TENDS TO MAINTAININVARIANT GAZE DIRECTION

HEAD ROTATION BODY ROTATION

COMPENSATORY Angular Vestibulo-Collic Reflex (VCR)

TEND TO MAINTAININVARIANT HEAD POINTING DIRECTION

COMPENSATORY Linear Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (lVOR) COMPENSATORY Linear Vestibulo-Collic Reflex (lVCR)

TENDS TO MAINTAININVARIANT GAZE FIXATION POINT

TENDS TO MAINTAININVARIANT HEAD FIXATION POINT

Sensors For Detection Linear Acceleration

VCR In Action

Acknowledgement: Video from Ken Money

Benign paroxysmal Positional vertigo (BPPV)

Taken from Web Site of Timothy Hain

Epley Maneuver to Cure BPPV

Taken from Website of Timothy Hain

Inoue-Inaba laboratory

Wind-Up Toy

Robot Design for Static Stability

Walking motion must be done relatively slowly and the robot must be able to balance on one foot.  Another way to increase stability is to make the center of gravity as low as possible.

Bipedal Robot

Qrio Robot from SONY

Taken from SONY website

Nordic Walking

Rocker Motion in Forward Human Locomotion

Sony AIBO Quadrupedal Robot

1. Utilizes Static Stability

2. Loaded with sensors including color camera, heat sensors, an infra-red range finder, touch sensors, acceleration and speed sensors and a stereo microphone. It has 18 joints producing 250 types of movement

Robot and Human Locomotion

Simulated VCR In Robot

Simulated VOR In Robot

Robotis Bioloid(Tribotix)

CONCLUSIONS

• Robotics is a Growing Field and A Number of new Developments in Robot Design is Inspired by Sensory Motion Function

•Science Utilizes Methodologies in Mathematics and Computer Science To Study a Wide Range of Problems Dealing With Health and Space Travel.

•A rudimentary compensatory system (program) that can maintain head stability at low frequencies when the robot is moved in space has been implemented

•The initial necessary steps have been implemented for developing algorithms for dynamically stable walking in quadrupeds and ultimately for bipeds

•A quadrupedal robot has been outfitted with an artificial vestibularsensor, which monitors head motion and orientation.

Bernard Cohen

Yasuhiro Osaki

Takao Imai

Eishi Hirosaki

Mikhail Kunin

Yongqing Xiang

Koji Kudo

Lawrence Goetz

Marek Marcinkiewicz

Ravi Kauchik

Simon Parsons

Jizhong Xiao

Elizabeth Sklar

DC 05222 NIH-NIDCDVestibular mechanisms in the Dynamics of Locomotion

EY04148 NIH-NEIMultidimensional Dynamics of the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex

P30 D2C0504-01A1NIH-NIDCDCore Center

NCC-9-58 NASA through a cooperative Agreement with NSBRIAdvanced Techniques for Assessment of Postural and Locomotor Ataxia, Spatial Orientation And Gaze Stability

CNS-0520989NSF - NSF-MRIAcquisition of Bipedal Robot Facility to Support Research into Improvement of Orientation and Stability of Locomotion

CUNY-Collaborative grant 80209-09-12

Brooklyn College Technical Fee and GRTI Grant

NSF 0633497- CCLIDevelocping a STEM Curriculum for Early College Programs: A High School to College Continuum