Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Hasan Mhd Nazha, Szabolcs Szavai, Mhd Ayham Darwich, Daniel Juhre
Summary: The aim of this study was to examine different types of passive ankle-foot orthoses for gait rehabilitation and categorize them for further development. A comprehensive search of relevant databases was conducted, resulting in the inclusion of 42 studies. The findings highlighted commonly used types and recent advancements in passive ankle-foot orthoses for foot drop. This review article provides valuable information for orthotists and engineers to enhance their understanding of the challenges in developing an AFO that meets all the requirements.
Article
Neurosciences
Gourav Sannyasi, Rajdeep Ojha, Navin B. Prakash, Joyce Isaac, V Maheswari, G. S. Mahasampath, George Tharion
Summary: This study compared the efficacy of FES and AFO in the management of foot-drop in stroke patients. The results showed that patients using FES had significant improvements in various gait parameters compared to those using AFO and walking barefoot. The physiological cost index also showed a trend of improvement among FES users. Patients expressed higher satisfaction with FES.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Pedro Fonseca, Leandro Machado, Manoela Vieira Sousa, Ricardo Sebastiao, Filipa Sousa, Joana Figueiredo, Cristina P. Santos, Joao Paulo Vilas-Boas
Summary: The study found that using an ankle foot orthosis in passive mode at a constant speed does not significantly affect minimum foot clearance, but can alter gait linear and angular parameters.
Article
Automation & Control Systems
David P. Allen, Ryan Little, Joshua Laube, Jeremy Warren, Walter Voit, Robert D. Gregg
Summary: The DEA AFO is able to provide 49% of the necessary dorsiflexion support and reduce effort required for plantarflexion compared to passive DEA behavior. With charging, the DEA AFO can be powered for 7000 steps or more.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Qiyin Huang, Bin Zhong, Naveen Elangovan, Mingming Zhang, Jurgen Konczak
Summary: This study presents a fast and accurate method to assess human ankle motion sense acuity using a robotic device. The results show that the perception of ankle motion velocity has a bias, which increases with the reference velocity.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Orthopedics
Niels Jonkergouw, Loes G. M. de Kruijff, Rogier E. G. Bongers, Michiel W. Swaan, Herman R. Holtslag, Alfred van der Meer, Peter van der Wurff
Summary: This study evaluated the effect of a modified PDAFO with a 6-week training program on pain and performance in patients after HELET. The results showed significant pain reduction and improvement in performance after the treatment procedure. The modified PDAFO proved to be an effective alternative to surgical interventions for patients with HELET.
ARCHIVES OF ORTHOPAEDIC AND TRAUMA SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Romain David, Maxime Billot, Etienne Ojardias, Bernard Parratte, Manuel Roulaud, Amine Ounajim, Frederic Louis, Hachemi Meklat, Philippe Foucault, Christophe Lombard, Anne Jossart, Laura Mainini, Martin Lavalliere, Lisa Goudman, Maarten Moens, Davy Laroche, Marjorie Salga, Francois Genet, Jean-Christophe Daviet, Anaick Perrochon, Maxence Compagnat, Philippe Rigoard
Summary: Foot drop is a common disability in post-stroke patients. Ankle foot orthosis (AFO) combined with conventional rehabilitation is the gold standard of rehabilitation management. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) can be an alternative approach to improve walking capacity by stimulating the peroneal nerve pathway.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jong-Bae Choi, Sang-Hoon Lee, Ji-Su Park
Summary: This study compared the effects of ankle foot orthosis (AFO) and kinesiology taping (KT) on gait ability in stroke patients with foot drop. The results showed that KT and AFO had similar effects on gait function, suggesting that KT could be an alternative treatment for patients who cannot use AFO.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Julio S. Lora-Millan, Mahdi Nabipour, Edwin van Asseldonk, Cristina Bayon
Summary: Assistive ankle-foot orthoses (AAFOs) are powerful solutions for gait assistance or rehabilitation. This research analyzes the latest AAFO technologies and categorizes the different approaches into clusters based on their basis and working principles. It also reviews the purpose and experimental validation of the devices, providing insights into their technology readiness level. The reviewed designs, limitations, and future directions in this field are summarized and discussed.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Bing Chen, Bin Zi, Bin Zhou, Zhengyu Wang
Summary: This paper presents the development of a robotic ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) for individuals with a paretic ankle, and the design of an impedance-based assist-as-needed controller for the robotic AFO. The hardware design, finite state machine design, modeling and control of the robotic AFO are described. A pilot study with healthy participants demonstrates the potential of the proposed control algorithm in ankle rehabilitation by providing adaptive assistance.
JOURNAL OF MECHANISMS AND ROBOTICS-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Hua Ling, Hui Guo, Hao Zhou, Xiao-Qian Chang, Zi-Yang Guo, Sumiko Yamamoto, Li-Fei Cai, Jun Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the effects of different types of ankle foot orthosis (AFO) on pelvic and thoracic movements in stroke patients during gait. The results showed that the use of AFO-OD improved pelvic and lower limb movements and had better gait performance compared to RAFO. However, the use of AFO resulted in in-phase rotation of the thoracic, indicating insufficient trunk control and dissociation movement. These findings have important implications for gait rehabilitation in stroke patients.
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING ONLINE
(2023)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Yoo Jin Choo, Min Cheol Chang
Summary: Ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) is crucial for patients with foot drop, helping prevent dragging and maintain stability. Commonly used types include plastic AFO and walking boot, with new types like AF Servo and 3D printed AFO also emerging.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Lucy Hodgins, Chris T. Freeman
Summary: Drop-foot, affecting an estimated 3 million people worldwide, is characterised by an inability to lift the foot. Current treatment methods, including rigid splints, electromechanical systems, and functional electrical stimulation (FES), have limitations such as bulkiness and muscle fatigue. This paper addresses these limitations by developing a novel orthosis that combines FES with a pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM), resulting in reduced fatigue compared to using FES alone, as demonstrated through experimental evaluation.
MEDICAL ENGINEERING & PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Grace Marconi, Alpha Agape Gopalai, Sunita Chauhan
Summary: This simulation study investigated the effects of mass and mass distribution of powered ankle-foot orthoses on net joint moments and individual muscle forces in the lower limb. Ten subjects' gait cycles were analyzed using OpenSim tools. It was found that distributing the mass of the orthosis more distally and posteriorly on the leg negatively impacted net joint moments and overall lower limb muscle forces. However, individual muscle forces showed varying results due to factors such as the flow-on effect of the orthosis, antagonistic muscle pairing, and interplay between individual muscles. The optimization of mass and mass distribution of powered ankle-foot orthoses can better mimic natural kinetics, reducing net joint moments and overall muscle forces, while considering individual muscles to prevent muscle fatigue or disuse.
MEDICAL & BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING & COMPUTING
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Therese E. Johnston, Sarah Keller, Caitlin Denzer-Weiler, Lisa Brown
Summary: This clinical practice guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for the use of ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) or functional electrical stimulation (FES) to improve gait speed, mobility, and quality of life in individuals with poststroke hemiplegia.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGIC PHYSICAL THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Belal Alsinglawi, Omar Mubin, Fady Alnajjar, Khalid Kheirallah, Mahmoud Elkhodr, Mohammed Al Zobbi, Mauricio Novoa, Mudassar Arsalan, Tahmina Nasrin Poly, Munkhjargal Gochoo, Gulfaraz Khan, Kapal Dev
Summary: This paper presents an epidemiological comparison of the traditional SEIR model with an extended and modified version. Two case studies with variations in mitigation strategies and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) were conducted, and the results supported the modified model as being more sensitive in terms of simulating cases and determining flattening.
NEURAL COMPUTING & APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Abdulrahman Renawi, Fady Alnajjar, Medha Parambil, Zouheir Trabelsi, Munkhjargal Gochoo, Sumaya Khalid, Omar Mubin
Summary: Monitoring students' attention and engagement levels in classrooms is crucial for interactive teaching. With advancements in computer vision, this study aims to utilize technology to help instructors evaluate students' attention levels in real-time, enabling more effective management of lecture sessions and ultimately enhancing teaching abilities and academic performance.
EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Abdelkader Nasreddine Belkacem, Nuraini Jamil, Sumayya Khalid, Fady Alnajjar
Summary: Emerging brain technologies, such as closed-loop brain-computer interface (BCI), have transformed human life by interpreting and controlling neuronal signals. This paper analyzes the latest research on closed-loop BCI using various stimulation techniques, highlighting its potential in improving the lives of patients with neurological or psychiatric disorders.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana Rojo, Arantxa Castrillo, Cristina Lopez, Luis Perea, Fady Alnajjar, Juan C. Moreno, Rafael Raya
Summary: The aim of this study is to verify whether the developed virtual reality system for pedaling exercise is accepted and could be safety, useful and motivating for adults with neuromotor disorders and elderly people. The outcomes suggest that PedaleoVR is a credible, usable and motivational tool for adults with neuromotor disorders to perform cycling exercise, and it does not generate negative effects related to cybersickness while being positively evaluated by the geriatric population.
Article
Robotics
Abdelrahman Osman Elfaki, Mohammed Abduljabbar, Luqman Ali, Fady Alnajjar, Dua'a Mehiar, Ashraf M. Marei, Tareq Alhmiedat, Adel Al-Jumaily
Summary: Social robots have the potential to revolutionize technology interaction in domains such as healthcare, education, and entertainment. However, most existing social robotics platforms are limited by their embedded computers, preventing access to advanced AI platforms necessary for sophisticated human-robot interactions. This research introduces a cloud-based framework that enhances social robots' capabilities and overcomes embedded platform limitations. Testing on different robots shows that the proposed framework can create more intelligent and autonomous social robots, benefiting a wider range of users.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Zouheir Trabelsi, Fady Alnajjar, Medha Mohan Ambali Parambil, Munkhjargal Gochoo, Luqman Ali
Summary: Effective classroom instruction requires monitoring student participation and interaction to ensure their attention. This study introduces an intelligent real-time vision-based classroom to monitor students' emotions, attendance, and attention levels even when they have face masks on. By training behavior recognition models using machine learning, the model can identify students' attention/non-attention in a classroom. The results show promising performance with 76% average accuracy, providing instructors with a tool to manage teaching sessions based on student-centered learning scenarios.
BIG DATA AND COGNITIVE COMPUTING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Tareq Alhmiedat, Ashraf M. Marei, Wassim Messoudi, Saleh Albelwi, Anas Bushnag, Zaid Bassfar, Fady Alnajjar, Abdelrahman Osman Elfaki
Summary: Robot navigation in dynamic indoor environments is addressed in this paper, where an efficient SLAM-based localization and navigation system is developed for service robots using the Pepper robot platform. The system allows the robot to navigate freely in complex indoor environments and efficiently interact with humans, as validated in two different indoor environments with an average localization error of 0.51 m and a user acceptability level of 86.1%.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Luqman Ali, Hamad Al Jassmi, Wasif Khan, Fady Alnajjar
Summary: This study presents a vision-transformer-based crack-detection framework that addresses the limitations of CNNs in capturing relevant areas of an image. The proposed framework, combined with a sliding-window and the TuFF algorithm, improves crack classification, localization, and segmentation performance.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Mohammed Alotaibi, Fady Alnajjar, Badr A. Alsayed, Tareq Alhmiedat, Ashraf M. Marei, Anas Bushnag, Luqman Ali
Summary: The aim of this research was to develop a personalized alert system that monitors individual lung function and environmental conditions in real-time, providing a comprehensive solution for the management of chronic lung-related diseases. The study revealed significant variability in pulmonary responses across different environments. The system offers a proactive approach for individuals to actively manage their respiratory health, minimizing exposure to potential asthma triggers through real-time monitoring and personalized alerts.
JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY HEALTHCARE
(2023)
Review
Rehabilitation
Sumayya Khalid, Fady Alnajjar, Munkhjargal Gochoo, Shingo Shimoda
Summary: The purpose of this review is to compare and evaluate available robotic rehabilitation and assistive devices for motor recovery or maintenance of current functional level. A systematic review of literature published between 2016 and 2021 identified 230 studies, out of which 28 were reviewed in detail. It was concluded that these robotic devices can improve upper limb impairments or maintain the current level with a good strategy and treatment plan.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION-ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Prinu C. Philip, Faris Subaihi, Simon Musgun, Solomon Ghebretatios, Fady Alnajjar
Summary: The demand for electricity and power from fossil fuels has been increasing, causing significant greenhouse gas emissions. Utilizing renewable energy sources, such as implementing a solar parking lot, can help mitigate these effects. A case study conducted at United Arab Emirates University compared fixed and tracked PV panels and found that the tracked panels generated more power and had a shorter payback period.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INNOVATIONS IN COMPUTING RESEARCH (ICR'22)
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Shahzad Shafiq, Luqman Ali, Wasif Khan, Rooh Ullah, Tanveer Ahmed Khan, Fady Alnajjar
Summary: This paper presents a novel customized convolutional neural network (CNN) approach for the detection of COVID-19 from chest x-ray images using deep learning algorithms. The proposed model shows better performance on a specific dataset and suggests that the number of samples in the dataset affects the model's performance.
PROCEEDINGS OF 2ND IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (ICAI 2022)
(2022)