This paper presents a novel robotic prototype for advanced gait rehabilitation. This system integrates sopbisticated robotic technology with control algorithms.The robot opens up new possibilities for the field of rehabilitation for restoring posture balancing and gait motoric functions. The paper provides an overview of the system's fundamental components, such as mechanical structure, patient-machine interface, sensory systems, control algorithms, etc. The results of some initial experiments also are included.Rehabilitation robot, human-robot inferaction, wire robot, impedance control, ZMP. gaitphase sensor 1.
INTRODUCTTONThe development of robotic devices that can objectively examine, analyze and replicate complex human musculoskeletal movemens, as well as apply therapeutic manipulations remains a challenging research goal. The ongoing research indicates that millions of people worldwide suffer from motoric disabilities caused by neurological injwies and/or joint diseases. The conventional methods and tools for rehabilitation are both time consuming and labor intensive. Recovery of motoric functions, however, is often long and insufficient, which bas a negative impact on the patient's independence, causing absence kom work and school etc.Lately, it has been recognized [ I 4 1 that applying robotic and mechatronic technologies for rehabilitation can significantly help overcome these problems. The initial clinical trials with prototype system provide evidence that robot-aided training enhances recovery flexibility and efficiency, which significantly improves rehabilitation outcomes and reduces social and health costs. However, significant research efforts are needed to develop reliable and accessible commercial robotic systems, and to solve several problems still open which are: patient interface, the optima1 tuning and adapting the control system to specific subjects, developing safety functions and subsystems in accordance with highdemanding standards and norms, developing new therapies, etc.This paper presents a novel system for gait rehabilitation (S'I"G-MAN) recently developed at Fraunhofer IPK-Berlin, which opens new possibilities for restoring posture balancing and gait motoric functions.
II. DEVELOPMENT GOALSSTRING-MAN is a powerful robotic system for supporting gait rehabilitation and restoration of motor functions by combining the advantages of partial body-weight bearing (PWB) with a number of robotic and humanoid control functions. A safe, reliable and dynamically controlled weightsuspension and posture control supports the patients in autonomously performing the gait recovery training from the early rehabilitation stage onwards. The system is designed to support gait restoration of the following patient groups (i.e. indications): neurological disorders (i.e., hemiplegia, paraplegia, cerebral palsy in children, traumatic brain injuries, etc.); orthopedic disorders (i.e., complicated hctnredislocations with open fixations, simultaneous surgery at extremities. e.g., total knee replacement and tibial os...
