| The goal of this thesis was to develop experimental paradigms for challenging control of the human pelvis during normal walking on a treadmill. In order to do this, a unique locomotor training robot, the Pelvic Assist Manipulator (PAM), was programmed to apply different perturbations to the pelvis during walking. Several pilot tests were done, and evidence was found that the locomotor control system compensates for a destabilizing perturbation by increasing step width. Evidence was also found that the locomotor control system contains an automatic algorithm for reducing energy consumption, specifically by reducing step width when the perturbation is removed and the increased width is no longer needed. This control algorithm operates on a slower time scale than the system that initially responds to the perturbation. |
