Study of Wearable Knee Assistive Instruments for Walk Rehabilitation

Abstract

A wearable Knee Assistive Instrument for the walk rehabilitation was newly developed. Especially, this system aimed at supporting the rehabilitation for the post-TKA (Total Knee Arthroplasty) which is a popular surgery for aging people. This system consisted of an assisting mechanism for the knee joint, a hip joint support system and a foot pressure sensor system. The driving system of this robot consisted of a CPU board which generated the walking pattern, a Li-ion battery, DC motors with motor drivers, contact sensors to detect the state of foot and potentiometers to detect the hip joint angle. The control method was proposed to reproduce complex motion of knee joint as much as possible, and to increase hip or knee flexion angle. Especially, this method used the timing that heel left from the floor. This method included that the lower limb was raised to prevent a subject's fall. Also, the prototype of knee assisting system was tested. It was confirmed that the assisting system is useful.

Development of a non-exoskeletal structure for a robotic suit

“…Examples include a "stride management assistance system" to help improve the walking function of older people [5], a "hybrid assistive limb" (HAL) wearable robot for rehabilitation support and independent movement support for people with disabilities [6], a wearable walking rehabilitation support robot "KAI-R" for people who received artificial knee joint replacement surgery [7], a "muscle suit" developed by the Tokyo University of Science [8], and a "wearable power suit" developed by the Kanagawa Institute of Technology, which reduces the burden of dependence on a caregiver [9]. These wearable robots usually form an external skeleton that complies with the frame of the human body, and the advantage to this is that the weight of the robot can be carried by this exoskeleton.…”