• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.505-510
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• 2004

In this article, we present an automated system for adjusting the 6 degree of freedom (D.O.F.) circular fixator. The system includes a scheduling software to adjust the Hexapod Circular Fixator (HCF) and an automated strut with the ability of the multiple synchronized motion and independent motion. The HCF was designed to control a 6 D.O.F. Ilizarov fixator and it's mechanism. The HCF adjustment software evaluates each value of altered length of the HCF struts to correct the complex skeletal deformity by using the X-ray data of the patient. The data of HCF adjustment software feed into the automated strut system which provides the scheduled adjustment. Then, the automated strut is synchronized by input data. Also the data of HCF adjustment software can be used to adjust HCF without automated struts. The proposed HCF system was verified by experiments.