Gear Ratio Optimization of a Multifunctional Walker Robot Using Dual-Motor Actuation

Bell, John; Kamienski, Emily; Teshigawara, Seiichi; Itagaki, Hideyuki; Asada, H. Harry

doi:10.1109/iros51168.2021.9636482

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Experiments were conducted to evaluate its effectiveness in assisting walking and standing. In previous studies, most multifunctional behavioral assistive robots faced disadvantages such as the need for disassembly, large size, and the inability to provide gait training after assisting users in standing (Hwang and Jeon, 2012 ; Asker and Assal, 2019 ; Li et al, 2019 ; Bell et al, 2021 ). Therefore, compared to previous research, this robot exhibits significant advantages: (1) It can seamlessly transition among the three configurations without disassembling, which is easier to operate and more intelligent.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, to enable stable walking for patients after assisted standing and meet their daily activity requirements, some studies have attempted to integrate assistive standing devices with walking assistance devices (Chugo et al, 2007 ; Asker and Assal, 2019 ; Huang et al, 2021 ; Mahdi et al, 2022 ). These devices help patients transition between sitting and standing positions while providing body support during walking training, enhancing stability, and preventing balance loss (Bell et al, 2021 ). However, they only provide support during walking, which still relies heavily on the body's own force generation as well as wheel support.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Design and assessment of a reconfigurable behavioral assistive robot: a pilot study

Shi,

Zhi,

Chen

et al. 2024

Front. Neurorobot.

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IntroductionFor patients with functional motor disorders of the lower limbs due to brain damage or accidental injury, restoring the ability to stand and walk plays an important role in clinical rehabilitation. Lower limb exoskeleton robots generally require patients to convert themselves to a standing position for use, while being a wearable device with limited movement distance.MethodsThis paper proposes a reconfigurable behavioral assistive robot that integrates the functions of an exoskeleton robot and an assistive standing wheelchair through a novel mechanism. The new mechanism is based on a four-bar linkage, and through simple and stable conformal transformations, the robot can switch between exoskeleton state, sit-to-stand support state, and wheelchair state. This enables the robot to achieve the functions of assisted walking, assisted standing up, supported standing and wheelchair mobility, respectively, thereby meeting the daily activity needs of sit-to-stand transitions and gait training. The configuration transformation module controls seamless switching between different configurations through an industrial computer. Experimental protocols have been developed for wearable testing of robotic prototypes not only for healthy subjects but also for simulated hemiplegic patients.ResultsThe experimental results indicate that the gait tracking effect during robot-assisted walking is satisfactory, and there are no sudden speed changes during the assisted standing up process, providing smooth support to the wearer. Meanwhile, the activation of the main force-generating muscles of the legs and the plantar pressure decreases significantly in healthy subjects and simulated hemiplegic patients wearing the robot for assisted walking and assisted standing-up compared to the situation when the robot is not worn.DiscussionThese experimental findings demonstrate that the reconfigurable behavioral assistive robot prototype of this study is effective, reducing the muscular burden on the wearer during walking and standing up, and provide effective support for the subject's body. The experimental results objectively and comprehensively showcase the effectiveness and potential of the reconfigurable behavioral assistive robot in the realms of behavioral assistance and rehabilitation training.

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