Kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic characteristics during quiet standing on a balance exercise assist robot

Abstract

[Purpose] The balance exercise assist robot is a training device based on a personal transport assistance robot ridden in the standing position. The personal transport assistance robot uses an inverted pendulum control system and moves in response to movements of the user’s center of gravity. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of postural control during the action of stopping the personal transport assistance robot. [Participants and Methods] Eleven healthy male participants were required to maintain a standing position for 30 s; each task was performed 10 times. The measurement conditions were as follows: (1) on the floor; (2) on the robot, touching the handlebars; and (3) on the robot, not touching the handlebars. [Results] During the robotic tasks, the total locus lengths of the center of gravity and total joint momentums of the hip, knee, and ankle joints were larger, and the amount of displacement of the center of pressure was smaller than that during the floor task. Posture control on the robot was performed actively by mechanical interaction of the ankle, knee, and hip joints within a small base of support. [Conclusion] The balance exercise assist robot can be useful for postural control exercises because maintaining a standing position on the personal transport assistance robot required active postural control.

Motion analysis of operating a balance exercise assist robot system during forward and backward movements

“…The data capture was synchronized by a start signal from the 3D motion-capture system during the CT; during ET, the start signal was generated by a custom-made trigger box13 ) .…”

“…The first step in clarifying this mechanism is to investigate the nature of the physical activities required to operate the PMD, including stopping, forward/backward movements, and left/right turning movements, in healthy individuals. A previous study has described the characteristics of postural control during the action of stopping the PMD13 ) . The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activities involved in operating the PMD in forward and backward motion.…”