Development of Wearable Aparatus for Slip Perturbations (WASP)
Advisor Information
Nathaniel Hunt
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
1-3-2019 12:30 PM
End Date
1-3-2019 1:45 PM
Abstract
DEVELOPMENT OF WEARABLE APARATUS FOR SLIP PERTURBATIONS
Andrew Walski1, Corbin Rasmussen1 & Nathaniel Hunt1
1Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE USA
awalski@unomaha.edu, cmrasmussen@unomaha.edu, nhunt@unomaha.edu
Studying balance and recovery skills from slip perturbations can be a very difficult task. A slip perturbation must be administered at specific points within the gait cycle without the subject knowing when it is going to occur. We have addressed this complication by developing a wearable apparatus for slip perturbations (WASP). The WASP is a device worn over the shoe that provides adequate traction for the wearer to walk normally but takes that traction away the instant a slip perturbation needs to be administered. The basic Design of the WASP consist of a detachable sole with a plantar surface of rubber and a dorsal surface lined with PTFE. A regular athletic shoe rests atop of the dorsal surface of the sole and is held in place by nylon straps and fluorocarbon monofilament. These straps ultimately are held together at a single point where the release mechanism allows for all the straps to be released on command via Bluetooth. An earlier version of wasp used nichrome wire to cut the monofilament loop that holds the straps together. The current version uses a cam and pin mechanism to release the monofilament loop. The current WASP also uses lighter materials. This presentation shows how the WASP has developed into a more ecologically valid device.
Development of Wearable Aparatus for Slip Perturbations (WASP)
DEVELOPMENT OF WEARABLE APARATUS FOR SLIP PERTURBATIONS
Andrew Walski1, Corbin Rasmussen1 & Nathaniel Hunt1
1Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE USA
awalski@unomaha.edu, cmrasmussen@unomaha.edu, nhunt@unomaha.edu
Studying balance and recovery skills from slip perturbations can be a very difficult task. A slip perturbation must be administered at specific points within the gait cycle without the subject knowing when it is going to occur. We have addressed this complication by developing a wearable apparatus for slip perturbations (WASP). The WASP is a device worn over the shoe that provides adequate traction for the wearer to walk normally but takes that traction away the instant a slip perturbation needs to be administered. The basic Design of the WASP consist of a detachable sole with a plantar surface of rubber and a dorsal surface lined with PTFE. A regular athletic shoe rests atop of the dorsal surface of the sole and is held in place by nylon straps and fluorocarbon monofilament. These straps ultimately are held together at a single point where the release mechanism allows for all the straps to be released on command via Bluetooth. An earlier version of wasp used nichrome wire to cut the monofilament loop that holds the straps together. The current version uses a cam and pin mechanism to release the monofilament loop. The current WASP also uses lighter materials. This presentation shows how the WASP has developed into a more ecologically valid device.