Identification and control of a multiplace hyperbaric chamber

This work presents the automation of a multiplace hyperbaric chamber. It includes the system modeling, identification, controller calculation and system validation. With the proposed approach a good pressure profile tracking and repeatability are achieved. Moreover, the proposed automation includes the implementation of powerful treatment tools such as Pause and Alleviation procedures. The control system implemented is based on a special zero-pole cancellation regulator. Experimental results are provided to illustrate the behavior of the automated chamber. It is important to remark that the chamber automated in this work is being successfully used in a real hospital since 2015 treating more than 40 patients per day, five days a week.

A ZigBee-based wireless system for monitoring vital signs in hyperbaric chambers: Technical report

This paper presents the replacement of a traditional wired communication link of the hyperbaric chambers with a wireless ZigBee-based system. This move allows a reduction in the costs of seals capable of withstanding the internal pressures and gives rise to a more versatile system. The new system is able to capture and process individual vital signs like the electrocardiography signal, and other analog sources, sending the data to an external computer and allowing analysis, representation and sharing with medical staff. This system solves such problems as the attenuation of the signal produced by the metal walls of the hyperbaric chamber and has a coverage area large enough to manage up to six patients with an effective data rate conversion of 2kHz. Furthermore, a battery-based and multiparameter platform is designed for multipatient hyperbaric chambers.

PNEUMATIC PLANAR REHABILITATION ROBOT FOR POST-STROKE PATIENTS

Cerebrovascular accident or stroke in aging population is the primary cause of disability and the second leading cause of death in many countries, including Spain. Arm impairment is common and the recovery is partly dependent on the intensity and frequency of rehabilitation intervention. However, physical therapy resources are often limited, so methods of supplementing traditional physiotherapy, such as robot assisted therapy, are essential. This paper describes design, development and control aspects of a planar robot driven by pneumatic swivel modules for upper-limb rehabilitation of post-stroke patients. Moreover, first experimental results with one post-stroke patient are presented to show the benefits of using the proposed system.

Endogenous brain-machine interface based on the correlation of EEG maps

In this paper, a non-invasive endogenous brain-machine interface (BMI) based on the correlation of EEG maps has been developed to work in real-time applications. The classifier is able to detect two mental tasks related to motor imagery with good success rates and stability. The BMI has been tested with four able-bodied volunteers. First, the users performed a training with visual feedback to adjust the classifier. Afterwards, the users carried out several trajectories in a visual interface controlling the cursor position with the BMI. In these tests, score and accuracy were measured. The results showed that the participants were able to follow the targets during the performed trajectory, proving that the EEG mapping correlation classifier is ready to work in more complex real-time applications aimed at helping people with a severe disability in their daily life.

Multimodal System Based on Electrooculography and Voice Recognition to Control a Robot Arm

People with severe motor disorders cannot use their arms and/or hands to interact with the environment. In such cases, a human-machine interface can be used to allow these people to perform activities of daily life. Voice recognition would be the best method to control a device devoted to help with these tasks, but this method is very dependent on the background noise and, under certain circumstances, it cannot be used successfully. In this sense, other methods must be included in the system to assist the voice recognition module. In this project, electrooculography (EOG) has been selected due to its stability and robustness. This way, a multimodal system based on EOG and voice recognition has been developed to control a robotic arm. This paper presents the procedures designed to combine both methods to create a multimodal interface useful for disabled people. Tests presented in this document compare the skills of five different users while controlling the robotic arm to perform pick-and-place tasks. Task duration and accuracy have been measured to obtain specific scores that are used to evaluate both interaction methods independently and the multimodal combination of them. The system works successfully using both methods (EOG and voice recognition). In addition, the multimodal interface improves robustness and reduces the uncertainty generated by the environment when there is background noise.

Distributed smart device for monitoring, control and management of electric loads in domotic environments

This paper presents a microdevice for monitoring, control and management of electric loads at home. The key idea is to compact the electronic design as much as possible in order to install it inside a Schuko socket. Moreover, the electronic Schuko socket (electronic microdevice + Schuko socket) has the feature of communicating with a central unit and with other microdevices over the existing powerlines. Using the existing power lines, the proposed device can be installed in new buildings or in old ones. The main use of this device is to monitor, control and manage electric loads to save energy and prevent accidents produced by different kind of devices (e.g., iron) used in domestic tasks. The developed smart device is based on a single phase multifunction energy meter manufactured by Analog Devices (ADE7753) to measure the consumption of electrical energy and then to transmit it using a serial interface. To provide current measurement information to the ADE7753, an ultra flat SMD open loop integrated circuit current transducer based on the Hall effect principle manufactured by Lem (FHS-40P/SP600) has been used. Moreover, each smart device has a PL-3120 smart transceiver manufactured by LonWorks to execute the user's program, to communicate with the ADE7753 via serial interface and to transmit information to the central unit via powerline communication. Experimental results show the exactitude of the measurements made using the developed smart device.