ABSTRACT
Objective:To propose a new type of lightweight wearable lower extremity exoskeleton assisted robot system, and explore the feasibility of walking and posture change rehabilitation training for patients with gait disorder and with paraplegia under T4 spinal cord injury (exclusion of lower extremity muscle spasm and obvious pain). Methods:The active and passive hybrid wearable lower extremity exoskeleton assisted robot structure of the hip joint with two-motor active drive and the knee joint passive four-link simulating the instantaneous movement of the human body was designed. Based on modular control, the STM32F767IGT6 and peripheral circuits, attitude acquisition, power supply and crutches module control system were proposed. The exoskeleton robot was worn by a normal person to perform the experiment of leveling, slope and posture transformation and analyze hip/knee /ankle joint angles during exercise, and compare the myoelectric signals of the lateral femoral and medial femoral muscles. Results:The wearer could realize the sitting-standing posture change and the flat/slope walking only based on the exoskeleton robot system, and the hip/knee/ankle angles were basically consistent with the normal walking and the electromyographic signals of the lateral femoral, medial femoral muscle significantly decreased when the robot was worn while walking. Conclusion:The active-passive hybrid lower exoskeleton assisted robot system can still achieve the rehabilitation of walking and posture change while reducing the weight. This verified the feasibility of the assisted robot system with the active dual-motor of the hip joint and the passive four-link structure of the knee joint to help the patients with paraplegia and gait disorder to walk and recover.
ABSTRACT
@#Objective To investigate the characteristics of walking ability of the amputees with unilateral transfemoral prosthesis. Methods 16 unilateral transfemoral amputees (patients) and 16 healthy adults (controls) were tested with 6-minute walking test indoor, 1000 m walking outdoor on various terrain, balance test and energy expenditure test. Results The speed, frequency and stride length were significantly less in the patients than in the controls (P<0.05) in the indoor 6-minute walking test, and the cycle of gait and energy expenditure were significantly more (P<0.05); single support time, double and single/double support time were different (P<0.05). In balance tests, there was no significant difference in the total track length, confidence ellipse area, maximum horizontal deviation and maximum vertical deviation between the patients and the controls (P>0.05). There were significant differences in time and energy expenditure of outdoor 1000 m walk test between two groups (P<0.05). There were significant differences in time of outdoor 1000 m walk test and distance of indoor walking test between amputees wearing mechanical four-link prosthetic knee joint and fluid control prosthetic knee joint (P<0.05), but not in energy expenditure of indoor and outdoor walking test. Conclusion The amputees with unilateral transfemoral prosthesis appear the inefficient in gait, and expend more energy. Their balance remains well. The transfemoral prosthesis the amputees wore may impact their walking ability.