Louis Peeraer

Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen | KHK · Departement Gezondheidszorg en chemie

Background In transfemoral (TF) amputees, the forward propulsion of the prosthetic leg in swing has to be mainly carried out by hip muscles. With hip strength being the strongest predictor to ambulation ability, an active powered knee joint could have a positive influence, lowering hip loading and contributing to ambulation mobility. To assess this...

De doelstelling van deze studie was het evalueren van de invloed van schoenen en zolen op spieractivatietijden bij 15 personen met chronische enkelinstabiliteit. De elektrische activiteit van negen spieren van de onderste extremiteit werd gemeten tijdens de overgang van bipodale naar unipodale stand. Deze studie stelde een vroegere spieractivatie v...

The registration of plantar pressure images is a widely used technique to support human gait analysis. In plantar pressure images, most of the time conventionally derived features are used for further processing. Recently, automatic feature extraction based on PCA and kPCA is being used, to increase the information that can be extracted from this d...

Context: Participants with chronic ankle instability (CAI) use an altered neuromuscular strategy to shift weight from double-legged to single-legged stance. Shoes and foot orthoses may influence these muscle-activation patterns. Objective: To evaluate the influence of shoes and foot orthoses on onset times of lower extremity muscle activity in p...

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of shoes and foot orthoses on lower extremity muscle activation patterns in healthy subjects during the transition from double-leg stance to single-leg stance. METHODS: Eight male and seven female young asymptomatic adults who wear foot orthoses were recruited. Muscle activation onset times...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of shoes and foot orthoses on lower extremity muscle activation patterns in healthy subjects during the transition from double-leg stance to single-leg stance. Eight male and seven female young asymptomatic adults who wear foot orthoses were recruited. Muscle activation onset times of 9 lower extr...

Multi-segmental foot kinematics have been analysed by means of optical marker-sets or by means of inertial sensors, but never by markerless dynamic 3D scanning (D3DScanning). The use of D3DScans implies a radically different approach for the construction of the multi-segment foot model: the foot anatomy is identified via the surface shape instead o...

Background: Functional interpretation of plantar pressure measurements is commonly done through the use of ratios and indices which are preceded by the strategic combination of a subsampling method and selection of physical quantities. However, errors which may arise throughout the determination of these temporal indices/ratio calculations (T-IRC)...

Background: Recently, additive fabrication has been proposed as a feasible engineering method for manufacturing of customized ankle foot orthoses (AFOs). Consequently, studies on safety, comfort and effectiveness are now carried out to assess the performance of such devices. Objective: Evaluate the clinical performance of customized (selective l...

Although deaf children with cochlear implants (CIs) are able to develop good language skills, the large variability in outcomes remains a significant concern. The first aim of this study was to evaluate language skills in children with CIs to establish benchmarks. The second aim was to make an estimation of the optimal age at implantation to provid...

To examine spoken language outcomes in children undergoing bilateral cochlear implantation compared with matched peers undergoing unilateral implantation. Case-control, frequency-matched, retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study. Two Belgian and 3 Dutch cochlear implantation centers. Twenty-five children with 1 cochlear implant matched with...

Foot problems in general and forefoot problems in particular can lead to a decrease in mobility and a higher risk of falling. Forefoot problems increase with age and are more common in women than in men. Around 20% of people over 65 suffer from non-traumatic foot problems and 60% of these problems are localised in the forefoot. Little is known abou...

Inleiding: Het lijdt geen twijfel dat een ernstige auditieve beperking de kindertaalontwikkeling sterk beïnvloedt. Onder andere door de neonatale gehoorscreening en cochleaire implantatie op jonge leeftijd ligt het taalniveau van deze kinderen echter steeds dichter bij dat van normaalhorende leeftijdsgenootjes. Hierdoor groeit de nood aan een uitge...

Introduction: It is well known that a severe hearing loss has a negative infl uence on the language development of children. However, due to the universal newborn hearing screening and cochlear implantation at an early age, the language level of hearing impaired children is closer to that of hearing peers than previously possible. As a result, ther...

Introduction An Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) is commonly used in clinical practice to assist gait of patients with different pathologies. The flexibility of the AFO depends on different design characteristics like for example the wall thickness and trimline around the ankle. Individual mechanical requirements of the AFO are correlated with patient ana...

Foot and ankle-foot orthoses are prescribed in order to promote mobility through supporting and/or realigning the lower leg and alleviating pain in the foot in different parts of the gait cycle. This paper will outline new approaches to the design and manufacture of personalised foot and ankle-foot orthoses (FO and AFO) using additive fabrication t...

Selective Laser Sintering has been recently proposed as a feasible engineering technique for manufacturing of customized ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs). Development of computer-aided design (CAD) models and virtual evaluation of the orthotic devices are important steps in the engineering design process. This paper will describe a method for accurate ch...

This paper presents the results of preliminary walking experiments on a transtibial amputee wearing a powered prosthesis. The prosthesis prototype serves as a proof-of-concept implementation for investigating the potential of pleated pneumatic artificial muscles to power a transtibial prosthesis. The device is equipped with pleated pneumatic artifi...

This paper reports on the development of a powered below-knee (BK) prosthesis. The initial prosthesis prototype is a pneumatically powered system, which serves as test bed for proof-of-concept and evaluating control algorithms in laboratory conditions. The mechatronical design of the prosthesis is described, including the selection, the characteris...

Due to its high power-to-weight ratio, a pleated pneumatic artificial muscle (PPAM) offers an interesting alternative actuation source for robotic devices. Its inherent compliant behaviour excites another broad field of interest: assistive clinical devices such as powered exoskeletons and prosthetics. In this paper, the design of a pneumatically po...

This paper reports on the development of a powered transtibial prosthesis. The initial prosthesis prototype is a pneumatically powered system, which serves as test bed for proof-of-concept and evaluating control algorithms in laboratory conditions. The characteristics and working principle of the actuators are described. The control approach is dis...

The study of human locomotion has generated a substantial number of publications. Starting from evolutionary history, the authors try to give some insight into the transition from quadripedal to bipedal locomotion. The upright position and erect walking is accepted as one of the main characteristics that differentiate humans from animals. The avail...

The clinical results with pedobarographic analysis were assessed in 32 patients (59 metatarsals) who underwent a distal metatarsal shortening (Weil) osteotomy for either intractable plantar keratoses or chronically dislocated lesser metatarsal phalangeal joints. All patients had increased pressure under the involved metatarsal heads. Thirty three o...

This study aimed to ascertain whether roll-off of the feet during gait was essentially different in patients with Parkinson's disease from that of elderly control subjects. Twenty-two patients, belonging mainly to Hoehn & Yahr grades III and IV, and 30 elderly people participated in the study. Plantar force distribution data were collected of two c...

The aim of this study was to compare the subjective, clinical and pedodynographic results of two large groups of patients operated on in our department. From January 1987 to December 1992, 38 rheumatoid patients (59 feet) underwent a Keller-Lelièvre arthroplasty of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP1) joint and a Hoffmann resection of the lesser me...

From 1987 to 1993, 20 athletes (22 feet) underwent cheilectomy ¹⁰ for Regnauld grade I, ⁷ grade II ¹⁶ hallux rigidus. Average age was 31 years (10 men and 12 women); mean follow-up was at 5.1 years. All patients performed high-level sports (judo, track & field, soccer, and skating). Indications for surgery included failure of nonsurgical treatment...

This preliminary study aimed to analyse the roll-off of the foot during gait before and after implantation of a unilateral pallidal electrode in severely affected patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Five subjects were tested in a gait laboratory during the "on" phase of the medication cycle. Spatiotemporal variables demonstrated a pronounced in...

This preliminary study aimed to analyse the roll-off of the foot during gait before and after implantation of a unilateral pallidal electrode in severely affected patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Five subjects were tested in a gait laboratory during the “on” phase of the medication cycle. Spatiotemporal variables demonstrated a pronounced in...

This article describes the results of a follow-up study of 14 paraplegic individuals who were fitted with the ARGO (Advanced Reciprocating Gait Orthosis--STEEPER) at least 1 year previously. It was found that 85% were still using the apparatus on a regular basis. The general satisfaction of the users was high, although the functional use was limite...

From January 1987 to December 1992, 38 patients (59 feet) with rheumatoid arthritis underwent reconstruction of the forefoot using Keller-Lelièvre arthroplasty of the first metatarsophalangeal joint and Hoffman resection of the lesser metatarsal heads. The average age of the patients was 61.3 years, with both feet involved in 21 patients and 17 wit...

This article describes the development of a low cost cycling unit for para- and tetraplegics that can be used in combination with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). A prototype was constructed and tested with a positive result. The most important test results are summarised

An algorithm is presented to detect the step intention of paraplegics walking with a hybrid gait orthosis, the Advanced Reciprocating Gait Orthosis (ARGO) in combination with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). It is based on the information of four pressure sensors mounted under the feet. A finite state approach is used. The system has been t...

A novel self-contained microcomputer-controlled above-knee prosthesis (AKP) has been developed. The knee mechanism is equipped with a magnetic particle brake providing a continuously variable resistive moment. Several sensors measure the contact pressure under the prosthetic foot, the knee angle and EMG-signals from the stump muscles. This informat...

The knee mechanism of an Advanced Reciprocating Gait Orthosis is adapted to allow flexion of the knee during the swing phase. The new knee mechanism is electrically controlled and consists of a mini DC motor with gearbox, a cam and a follower. Preliminary tests with the system are positive, but they show that it should not be used without FES

The shortcomings of conventional above-knee prostheses are due to their lack of adaptive control. Implementation of a microcomputer controlling the knee joint in a passive way has been suggested to enhance the patient's gait comfort, safety and cosmesis. This approach was used in the design of a new prosthetic system for the above-knee amputee, and...

Conventional above-knee prostheses are unable to replace normal leg function due to the lack of adaptive control. Computer-controlled prostheses offer the possibility to implement such adaptive control. For a particular locomotion mode, control algorithms can generate appropriate damping profiles as a function of selected sensory inputs and stored...

The authors have been doing research on the development of a knee prosthesis which restores some of the lost flexibility, by means of a microcomputer controlled joint in which torque is varied as a function of selected sensory inputs and stored information on normal gait kinematics. Level walking is a cyclic phenomenon for which parameters for norm...

This article discusses the importanceof fully integrated research activities into bachelor level programs in orthopeadic shoe technology. To work accoording evidence based principles and acquire the competences tot do so it is neseccary for students to engage in research activities from within the educational programe as soon as possible.

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This article discusses the importance of fully integrating research activities into the Bachelor level programs (undergraduate programs) in orthopaedic engineering / prosthetics and orthotics. To work according to evidence based principles and acquire the competences to do so it is necessary for students to engage in research activities from within...