Development of an Active Walker and its Effect

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Kobayashi ◽  
◽  
Takuya Hashimoto ◽  
So Nakayama ◽  
Kazutaka Irie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscular Strength ◽  
Gait Training ◽  
The Body ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Risk Of Falling ◽  
Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽  
Human Child ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Right ◽  
Foot Orthosis

In Japan alone, more than one million people have walking difficulties. The many kinds of walker being developed thus far for gait training are used by grasping the front and/or back in order to balance the body. This requires tilting the upper half of the body forward or backward, making it difficult to keep the right posture for walking. There are moreover few examples of an active walker that is used if people have no muscular strength for walking. In order to deal with these issues, we have been developing an active walker using the HartWalker which consists of a double upright knee-ankle-foot orthosis and a 4-wheeled carriage with a stem located in the center of the carriage. Since the waist of the orthosis is attached to the top of the stem, there is no risk of falling, it is possible to keep the right posture, and both hands become completely free. McKibben artificial muscles are attached to the Hart Walker in order to control the gait as an active walker. In walking experiments using a child-size doll with the same kinds of joints and weight that a human child has, we confirmed that a humanlike gait is realized by the active walker we developed. Many patients who have different kinds of disease are using it and we have confirmed that all of them can walk by using the active walker. The active walker is now commercially available.

scholarly journals Clinical experiences with a convertible thermoplastic knee-ankle-foot orthosis for post-stroke hemiplegic patients

1996 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kakurai ◽  
M. Akai
Keyword(s):  
Gait Training ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Recovery Stage ◽  
Physical Impairments ◽  
Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Walking Pattern ◽  
Accepted Practice ◽  
Foot Orthosis

As rehabilitation for post-stroke hemiplegic patients has become widely accepted practice, there has been an increase in patients who are more difficult to treat. In the prescription rationale of orthoses for hemiplegics, the knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) for the lower limb has generally been underestimated because of its inhibitory effect on the normal walking pattern and also its interference with gait training. The authors had an experience of 28 hemiplegics with severe physical impairments who were fitted with a convertible plastic KAFO. Among these patients, there were 11 cases in which the KAFO was replaced by an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) within 1.5 to 8 months (average 4 months) following initial prescription when they were able to control their knee actively. Ambulatory capability in these patients was superior to that of the remaining KAFO group. The Barthel index of the AFO group patients was higher than the KAFO group (p<0.01). However neither age, sex, severity of hemiplegia, starting time of rehabilitation following onset of stroke, time of fitting with the orthosis, nor the functional recovery stage were critical factors between the two groups, only the incidence of major complications affected ambulatory capability.

PROPULSION SYSTEM WITH PNEUMATIC ARTIFICIAL MUSCLES FOR POWERING ANKLE-FOOT ORTHOSIS

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivanka Veneva ◽  
Bram Vanderborght ◽  
Dirk Lefeber ◽  
Pierre Cherelle
Keyword(s):  
Ankle Joint ◽  
Position Control ◽  
Human Motion ◽  
Propulsion System ◽  
Joint Torque ◽  
Joint Control ◽  
Artificial Muscles ◽  
Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽  
Pneumatic Artificial Muscles ◽  
Foot Orthosis

Abstract The aim of this paper is to present the design of device for control of new propulsion system with pneumatic artificial muscles. The propulsion system can be used for ankle joint articulation, for assisting and rehabilitation in cases of injured ankle-foot complex, stroke patients or elderly with functional weakness. Proposed device for control is composed by microcontroller, generator for muscles contractions and sensor system. The microcontroller receives the control signals from sensors and modulates ankle joint flex- ion and extension during human motion. The local joint control with a PID (Proportional-Integral Derivative) position feedback directly calculates desired pressure levels and dictates the necessary contractions. The main goal is to achieve an adaptation of the system and provide the necessary joint torque using position control with feedback.

scholarly journals Congenital Posteromedial Bowing of the Tibia: A Single Center Experience

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 293-300
Author(s):  
Dragoljub Živanović ◽  
Andjelka Slavković ◽  
Zoran Marjanović ◽  
Ivona Djordjević ◽  
Nikola Bojović ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Maturity ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽  
Single Center Experience ◽  
Walking Age ◽  
Elastic Nails ◽  
The Right ◽  
Limb Length Inequality ◽  
Foot Orthosis

Summary Congenital posteromedial bowing of the tibia (CPMBT) is a rare congenital anomaly of the lower limbs. The aim of the present study was to analyze our experience in the treatment of CPMBT. A retrospective study of patients treated for CPMBT in the period January 2000 – June 2016 was performed. In the observed period, six patients were treated (five girls and one boy), with predominance of the right tibia involvement (5:1). The initial treatment included a series of corrective casts (4-9) applied in all patients, followed by removable splints and physiotherapy. Four children with residual angulation of tibia after walking age were prescribed ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) as a prevention of pathological fractures. Both posterior and medial angulation correct over time. Mean initial shortening was 11 mm. At the last follow-up visit, mean shortening was 23.33mm. Three patients had lower limb shortening of more than 2 cm. In two of them, with shortening of 27 mm and 35 mm, Ilizarov lengthening was performed. In one girl, we performed lengthening over titanium elastic nails. In the other girl, after lengthening, circular frame was exchanged with a locking plate to reduce fixator wearing time. There were no major complications of treatment. Patients were followed up for 2-12 years (mean 6.83 years). None of them reached skeletal maturity yet. Primary manifestation of CPMBT – angulation of tibia and fibula as well as calcaneovalgus deformity usually correct spontaneously or with conservative measures. However, limb length inequality, as a consequence of CPMBT, progresses with growth and may require surgical correction in some children. Therefore, all children with CPMBT should be followed up until skeletal maturity.

Development of Robotic Ankle–Foot Orthosis With Series Elastic Actuator and Magneto-Rheological Brake

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bing Chen ◽  
Bin Zi ◽  
Zhengyu Wang ◽  
Yuan Li ◽  
Jun Qian
Keyword(s):  
Average Power ◽  
Electronic System ◽  
The Body ◽  
Planetary Gearbox ◽  
Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽  
Series Elastic Actuator ◽  
Braking Torque ◽  
Magneto Rheological ◽  
Foot Orthosis ◽  
Series Elastic

Abstract This paper illustrates the development and experimental validation of a robotic ankle–foot orthosis (AFO) with a series elastic actuator (SEA) and a magneto-rheological (MR) brake. First, the biomechanics of a human ankle joint during walking is explained. Next, the hardware design of the robotic AFO is introduced, including its mechanical structure, actuator design and configuration, and electronic system. The SEA is primarily composed of an electric motor, a planetary gearbox, a torsion spring, and a pair of bevel gears. The MR brake can modulate the viscosity of the robotic AFO and generate a large braking torque of 21.8 Nm with a low power of 8.8 W. Additionally, the modeling of the robotic AFO is presented, followed by an introduction to its control; several gait evaluation indices are proposed as well. Finally, a pilot study is conducted to verify the effectiveness of the developed robotic AFO. The experimental results demonstrate that the robotic AFO has the potential to provide dorsiflexion assistance, thus preventing foot slap and toe drag, in addition to plantarflexion assistance for the forward propulsion of the body. During a gait cycle, an average power of 0.23 W is harvested, and an 8% improvement in the system energy efficiency is achieved.

Effects of altering plantar flexion resistance of an ankle-foot orthosis on muscle force and kinematics during gait training

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 63-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masataka Yamamoto ◽  
Koji Shimatani ◽  
Masaki Hasegawa ◽  
Takuya Murata ◽  
Yuichi Kurita
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Force ◽  
Plantar Flexion ◽  
Gait Training ◽  
Ankle Foot Orthosis ◽  
Foot Orthosis

scholarly journals DETEKSI DINI RESIKO JATUH PADA LANSIA DI POSYANDU LANSIA KENTINGAN, KECAMATAN JEBRES, SURAKARTA

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 128
Author(s):  
Erika Dewi Noorratri ◽  
Ari Septi Mei Leni ◽  
Ipa Sari Kardi
Keyword(s):  
Early Detection ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Body ◽  
Risk Of Falling ◽  
Postural Control System ◽  
Early Fall ◽  
Falling Risk ◽  
The Right ◽  
Injury Falls ◽  
Elderly Living

Background :The falling risk is an event reported by a patient or family who sees an incident, which results in a person suddenly lying, sitting on the floor or lower place with or without loss of consciousness or injury. Falls can occurwhen the body’s postural, control system fails to detectshifting and not repositioning the center of gravity toward the body support at the right time.  In Indonesia, the elderly who live in communities experience an annual fall or around 30%. The incidence of falls in the elderly living in the community increased from 25% at the age 70 to 35% after being over 75 years old. One cause of the fall is a disturbance in the pattern of roads. Therefore it is necessary to practice early detection of the risk of falling in the elderly. Target and output 100% of extension participants consisting of the elderly can increase their knowledge and understanding of early detection training on the risk of falling on the elderly. Methods of conducting lectures and demonstrations or exercises. The result of the elderly can mention how to detect risk in the elderly and can do exercises to prevent falls. Conclusion elderly know how to detect the risk of early fall in the elderly. 

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