臨床上徒手肌力測試(Manual muscle test, MMT)之肌力介於2至3級的下肢復健療程中，病患可產生自主性動作，但需要物理治療師從旁扶持患者下肢，或是利用訓練輔助裝置帶領患者下肢運動，使患者可以在接受協助下收縮肌肉完成動作以訓練下肢肌力。然而，目前所有適用於該肌力等級的市售訓練輔助器，皆是以馬達驅動搭配控制元件的復健機器人，但由於復健機器人的體積、重量與售價往往較其他訓練器來得高，因此該肌力等級的復健器材通常只有醫院有能力購買，患者較無法自行添購於家中使用；另一方面，因為是由馬達帶動患者肢體運動，此復健方式將減少病患自行出力的機會，也因此使用無回饋系統之復健機器人的復健，不一定能有效率地協助病患進行自我訓練。
　　本研究提出一種新型下肢癱瘓肌力訓練器機構，該機構不需任何驅動馬達帶動，且具有「抗重力」與「雙姿態」訓練等兩大特點，特別適用於肌力等級2至3之患者。首先，本設計透過靜平衡機構(Statically balanced mechanism)設計方法，機構可以不需任何驅動馬達，便於各個構形皆能抵抗下肢重量（即「抗重力」），不僅可模擬物理治療師之扶持功能，亦可提供患者自我訓練之機會；而經由變更穿戴綁定位置，本設計亦可達到變阻力之訓練效果，協助不同訓練等級。再者，本設計運用可重構機構(Reconfigurable mechanism)特性，機構可分別切換成兩種不同的操作構形分別引導患者進行髖與膝之屈曲/伸直訓練（容許「人體動作雙向之連續性），藉此幫助無法自主控制肌肉的病患，有效率地訓練特定肌群。本研究並進行該新型機構的位置分析，藉此探討訓練器是否符合復健動作需求，以及利用電腦輔助機構運動模擬軟體，驗證本設計之抗重力與可調輔助力之有效性。最後，製作本設計之原型機，並進行人體穿戴測試，使用肌電設備EMG (Electromyography)量測受試者下肢執行矢狀面肌電訊號。實驗結果顯示，穿戴者在使用本輔助器時之肌力電壓比未使用輔助器時之電壓明顯較低，證明本設計的確可幫助使用者以較低的肌力（即無腿重下之肌力）進行髖關節與膝關節之屈曲/伸直等兩種訓練動作。

During the rehabilitation program for patients with muscle strength classified from level 2 to 3 tested by the manual muscle test (MMT), patients are able to perform voluntary contraction with minimal to moderate assistance provided by physical therapists or rehabilitation devices which create a gravity-free condition aimed to facilitate full-ranged exercise. However, by overviewing the current commercial rehabilitation devices for patients with MMT level 2 to 3, all the devices are actuated by electric motors with programming control, i.e., in a form of rehabilitation robots. Therefore, the rehabilitation devices for patients with MMT level 2 to 3 are only available with a bulky body and heavy weight as compared to those training tools for patients with higher MMT levels. In addition, the prices of these robots are much more costly than the other types of rehabilitation devices. So, such robotic devices are in general found in hospitals only; the patients are not affordable for their home use due to the limited space and budget. On the other hand, since the patient’s limbs are passively guided by the robot, the patient would make less muscular effort and the training effect may be reduced. So the rehabilitation via robotic assisted devices will be less efficient than that without robotic assistance.
This thesis is devoted to designing a new electric-actuation-free muscle training assistive device for patients suffering from neuromuscular disorders with MMT level 2 to 3. The proposed device has two major features. First, based on the design theory of statically balanced mechanisms, the device can balance the weights of the limb segments in the lower extremities in any working configurations by using common springs only (and no actuator motor is attached). Hence the patient can strengthen his/her limb muscles by him/herself, without the help from physical therapist. The installation positions of the springs can be further changed to produce a changeable resistance force for other purpose of rehabilitation. Second, the device employs the concept of reconfigurable mechanisms, leading to two working configurations that can respectively help the training of hip and knee flexion/extension. This research also carries out the position analysis of the proposed mechanism for examining the feasibility of the mechanism motion for the rehabilitation needs. It further uses motion simulation software to validate the effectiveness of the antigravity and the changeable resistance force of the proposed design. Finally, a prototype is built up and a series of electromyography(EMG) experiments are performed. The results show that the measured electrical currents during movements of the actuated muscles are obviously lower when using the device than that without using the device. It thus proves that the proposed design can effectively create a gravity-free condition for the patients to strengthen the muscles at hip and knee during flexion/extension, which is very useful for patients who suffer from neuromuscular disorders with MMT level 2 to 3.

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