Pneumatic walking assistive device for use over long period

• Published in: Advanced Robotics Vol. 28; no. 18; pp. 1253 - 1264
• Main Authors: Yamada, Yasuyuki, Endo, Gen, Fukushima, Edwardo F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 17.09.2014; Informa UK Limited
• Subjects: assistive device; pneumatic actuator; walking assistance
• ISSN: 0169-1864; 1568-5535
• DOI: 10.1080/01691864.2014.920722

Humans can adapt to and effectively walk on different kinds of surfaces and in various environments, but fatigue is inevitable when walking or even just standing for long periods, especially when carrying heavy objects. Methods for assisting walking or standing work are in demand, but most research thus far has been focused on using electricity to implement both interlocking and assistive power; this approach has the drawback of high-energy consumption. Therefore, we previously developed a lightweight assistive device that stores part of the kinetic energy generated during the leg swing-to-leg contact phases, and uses this energy to effectively assist during the stance phase. The developed device comprises surge tanks, an air cylinder, and other components arranged in a simple configuration and interlocked with walking by using a simple sensing system, therefore, making it suitable for use over long periods. This paper presents experimental measurements of the assistive force generated using the proposed device when it is attached to human subjects. The measurements were conducted under predicted usages to evaluate the assistive performance of the proposed device, and the measurement results demonstrate its effectiveness.