Abstract-The aim of this study was to evaluate three types of walkers for elderly people. Four elderly patients participated in the study. The experiments were performed using three walkers: a familiar conventional folding walker, a caster walker and a power-assisted walker. We evaluated walking speed, body acceleration and an electromyogram of the gastrocnemius during use of each walker. The results indicated that walkers should be selected according to the patient's walking ability. Comparison between Power-assisted walker and parallel bar, the walking speed in power-assited walker is higher than that in parallel bar. Power-assisted walkers are suitable for patients who are used to using a wheelchair. Keywords -walker, elderly, walking speed, acceleration, electromyogramWalking is a basic everyday activity. In an aging society, elderly people need to walk to promote their health and independence. By retaining ambulatory independence, elderly people increase their quality of life and reduce the costs of both public health services and private health insurance. Mobility is one of the most important factors in maintaining physical and mental health.To assist walking, several conventional types of walker are available. Different types are used for different walking abilities (see Fig. 1). The folding walker and the four-wheel walker with seat and basket are used under supervision. The folding walker consists of a folding four-legged frame with a supporting grip that the user can grasp or lean on. Wheelchairs are commonly used for elderly people who either cannot walk or can walk only with assistance and supervision. Caster walkers are used in hospitals and nursing homes. Users of caster walkers can lean on the supporting arms, and a non-weight-bearing gait is possible. However, these walkers can also be used by elderly people who have fairly good motor function.One of the authors has recently developed a powerassisted walker for elderly people who have difficulty walking. The device consists of four wheels and a supporting pad that is held by the user. The amount of assistance provided by this walker is based on the amount of force applied. The walker moves forward, or turns, at a speed proportional to the propulsive force applied by the user. The dynamic characteristics can be easily adjusted by changing the control parameters.Application or adaptation of these walkers is the important issue. In rehabilitation training, several walking stages are observed, and the use of a suitable walker is required to provide an improvement in the user's quality of life. However, no physiological evaluation based on walking ability has been made of the suitability of each kind of walker for each walking stage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological parameters for walkers. II. METHODOLOGYSix elderly people aged between 70 and 91 years (average 82±7.9 years) participated in the study. Before the experiment, written informed consent was obtained from each subject or the subject's family. EVALUATION OF WALKERS FOR...

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Gardner syndrome with odontogenic sinusitis is rare but should be suspected in patients with multiple osteomas of the skull and facial bones, excess teeth, impacted teeth, and odontomas. Early diagnosis and treatment of GS may improve prognosis.

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Posture, eye movement and sensation at 1 g are controlled with reference to spatial coordinates that represent the external world in the brain. Normal spatial coordinates are not relevant in microgravity because there is no Z-axis, and the posture regulation and sensation that depend on them collapse. The discrepancy in responses between posture and eye movement under conditions of microgravity may be caused by a different constitution of the effectors which adjust posture and gaze.