ADL Hip Simulator

The AMTI hip simulator replicates the loading and full range of multi-axis motion associated with activities of daily living (ADLs), like getting out of a bathtub, walking up or down stairs, squatting to pick something up, and running. A sequence of up to twelve individual physiological motions can be sequenced to define a particular lifestyle, providing a true-to-life system for evaluating the materials and component designs of hip implants.

The hip simulator also provides a breakthrough in ease of use and accuracy through Adaptive Control Technology (ACT). Tuning time for force control simulators has traditionally been a major burden, often taking days of tweaking by an expert to get a single set of prosthetic specimens ready for testing. AMTI’s ACT control system is enabled with a single click and tunes the machine’s performance within about 30 cycles to levels of accuracy not obtainable with manual tuning. In most scenarios, the RMS error is less than 5 percent in both force control and displacement control modes of operation.

The simulator is comprised of twelve stations, divided into two independently controlled banks of six. Each hydraulically-driven station is oriented in the physiologically correct position with the contact areas immersed in a sealed, temperature-controlled fluid bath.

The simulator can be operated in both force and displacement control modes and makes use of four degrees of freedom (load and three motions), which are detailed in the specification area of this document. A six-component load cell at each station allows for the continuous or periodic measurement of the forces and moments of the x, y, and z axes.

The machine provides a microseparation feature that simulates laxity in the constraining tissue of the hip during the swing phase of gait. The amount of distraction is easily adjustable and is measured by vertical position sensors.

The AMTI hip simulator includes a complete data acquisition and control system, which utilizes an internal digital signal processor (DSP) for each bank to perform time-critical tasks. The DSP provides up to eight channels of waveform generation, implements eight channels of PID (proportional, integral, and derivative) control to drive the machine’s actuators, and manages data acquisition by multiplexing between 112 channels of analog signals and measurements. The DSP assembles the data and transfers it through an Ethernet cable to the supervisory PC, which uses AMTI’s NetControl software to provide a complete operating interface for the machine.

The simulator is thoroughly tested prior to delivery and arrives completely configured for hip implant testing. It includes four additional stations for active load soak, upper and lower specimen holders, zero-access doors, redundant hydraulic controls, two supervisory PCs, a spare filter, and independent controls for both of its six-station banks.

Feature highlights

· Twelve testing stations arranged in two independently controlled banks of six

· Four degrees of freedom (load and three motions)

· Possesses the full range of motion needed to replicate hip movement during activities of daily living

· Adaptive Control Technology – breakthrough software that uses a feedback loop to automatically tune the machine’s performance to new levels of accuracy

· Provides adjustable microseperation of the joint during the swing phase of gait

· Can be operated by either force or displacement control

· The machine can also be configured as a twelve-station spine simulator.

· Each station includes a six-component load cell for measuring the forces and moments of Fx, Fy, Fz, Mx, My, and Mz.

· NetControl software provides a complete operating interface through an Ethernet cable link.

· Capable of testing to all applicable ISO and ASTM standards for both hip and spine implants, including ISO-14242-1, ASTM-WK451, ASTM-F2423-05, ISO/DIS-12189, ISO/DIS-18192-1, and ASTM-F1717-04.

· The twelve-station simulator comes with four additional stations for load soak (loading cycle only).

· Hydraulic shutoff valves allow any station to be disabled, enabling access to individual specimens while the other stations continue to function normally.

· Each station has its own independent fluid system and peristaltic pump for re-circulating the temperature-controlled fluid around each test specimen. The system features an automatic shutdown in the event of a fluid leak.

· High-load actuators have hydrostatic bearings, which glide on a film of oil to avoid the wear associated with metal-on-metal contact.

· All motions are servo-hydraulically generated with long-life, laminar seal actuators ( >10⁸ cycles).

· The four actuators that drive each bank can be controlled by the user or placed in automatic mode.

· The machine has a variable operating speed up to 2 Hz, allowing for the completion of up to 172,000 cycles per 24-hour period.

· Designed to run continuously without any required supervision

· Separate, unbreakable polycarbonate doors encase each bank.

Download PDF brochure and specifications