An Assitive Walker considering with its User's Gait Difference of Both Feet

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel assistive walker robot, which considers its user's gait. Previous researchers have been developed many assistive walker, and many of them have discussed on obstacles/step avoidance function, path following function and gravity negating gravitational force function. However, by opinions of nursing specialists, the walker is first required to realize safe walking function especially, which prevents falling down of its user. Therefore, it is important to maintain the body balance of its user and considering with the characteristics of its user, the walker should coordinate it according to the walking way of its user. For realizing this, our proposed walker measures the right and left foot gait of its user and estimates its user's body balance by calculating his/her position of center of gravity (COG). Proposed system does not require sensors which are installed on its user's body for practical usage. Using estimated body balance, our proposed walker controls assistance force vector for maintaining body balance stably. A prototype assistive walker, based on the proposed idea is fabricated to help patients walking safely according to their walking gait.