Masaru HIGUCHI/Makoto OGATA/Shuta SATO/Yukio TAKEDA
The Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, vol. 24, no. 1, pp.245-248, 2010

Abstract : This paper proposes a walking assist machine for people with walking difficulties. It has crutches operated by the user and a wearable mechanism generates motion of the leg and foot relative to the upper body. First, a healthy person’s swing-through walking using axillary crutches was measured and kinematically analyzed. Based on the results, a composition of a walking assist machine using crutches (WAMC) was proposed. An Experimental apparatus of WAMC was designed and built. It realized walking with desired constant step length. And it was clarified that error of the step length decreases its walking stability. Then we investigated the relationship between walking stability and parameters of walking motion by dynamic simulations. The desired parameters were determined through the simulations Sensors and switches which convey user’s intentions to WAMC were also designed and attached to the WAMC.

Keyword : Assisting device; Crutch; Life support; Mechanism; Motion; Walking assist