Basic Study on Self-Transfer Aid Robotics

Abstract

We conducted burden measurement experiments on users and aid transfer equipment to develop a self-transfer aid system for users. The users targeted were people with impaired legs who use a wheelchair, however are able to walk to some extent. With aid transfer, these users can maneuver themselves independently to and from apparatus, in this case, toilets. In practice, users lean their upper-bodies onto the saddle of a robotic arm, which lifts and transfers them to their destination. The experimental setup was developed to determine the burden on users and transfer aid devices. We confirmed that a longer robotic arm decreases the burden on users, and increases the burden on the robot, whereas the reverse holds true for a shorter arm. Based on experimental results, we have built a self-transfer aid test system.