Preliminary Experimental Validation of a Cable-Driven Joint System for Custom Orthoses

Abstract

Robot-assisted gait training has the potential to enhance gait therapy for children with mobility impairments. Robotic orthoses are designed to improve therapy session quality, but have shortcomings regarding compactness, weight, usability, and wearer comfort. This paper presents the design of the Cable-Driven Joint System, a novel approach to pediatric gait rehabilitation aimed to address current market device limitations, increasing accessibility to improved outcomes. This paper investigates the torque capabilities of the actuator in terms of maximum continuous torque and peak torque. The experimentation yielded values of 6.43 Nm and 18.86 Nm, respectively. The torque capabilities of the actuator show that it can provide meaningful assistance to the intended user age group, motivating future experiments and showing promise to improve the field of pediatric gait rehabilitation.