A novel human-machine interface for guiding: The NeoASAS smart walker

Abstract

In an aging society it is extremely important to develop devices, which can support and aid the elderly in their daily life. This demands tools that extend independent living and promote improved health. In this work it is proposed a new interface approach integrated into a walker. This interface is based on a joystick and it is intended to extract the user's movement intentions. The interface is designed to be userfriendly, simple and intuitive, efficient and economic, meeting usability aspects and focused on a commercial implementation, but not being demanding at the user cognitive level. Preliminary sets of experiments were performed which showed the sensibility of the joystick to extract navigation commands from the user. These signals presented a higher frequency component that was attenuated by a Benedict-Bordner g-h filter. The presented methodology offers an effective cancelation of the undesired components from joystick data, allowing the system to extract in real-time voluntary user's navigation commands. Based on this real-time identification of voluntary user's commands, an approach to the control architecture of the robotic walker is being developed, in order to obtain stable and safe user assisted locomotion.

Human–Robot–Environment Interaction Interface for Smart Walker Assisted Gait: AGoRA Walker

“…Devices such as canes, crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs, as well as ambulatory training devices, are commonly found in assisted gait and rehabilitation scenarios [14] and are intended to improve user’s life quality. Concretely, mobility assistive devices are aimed at overcoming and compensating physical limitations by maintaining or improving individual’s functioning and independence in both clinical and everyday scenarios [15].…”

A review of the functionalities of smart walkers

“…The system must be secure and stable, not putting the user's health and physical state in danger. Some SW addressed this challenge by relying on significant weight to lend stability to the system and by putting the electronics on the lower base of the structure [15]. This requires a design trade-off since lightweight and/or affordable walkers have generally been preferred for their portability and ability to be carried up and down stairs.…”

Online control of a mobility assistance Smart Walker

“…It is also proposed a novel, simple interface based on a joystick to extract the user's movement intentions. This interface was designed to be user-friendly and efficient, meeting usability aspects and focused on a commercial implementation [4]. The joystick converts the user's intentions into direction and velocity to then inform the walker and as such endows the capability of reading the user's commands to guide the walker.…”