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access icon free Robotic AFO to enhance walking capacity: initial development

© The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Received 23/08/2016, Published 06/10/2016

The development of an active ankle foot orthosis (AFO) to enhance the walking capacity is presented. The proposed device consists of a linear actuator mechanism with supportive brace and is controlled by measuring user's interaction force. Initial experimental characterisation of performance of the control system and system usability tested on healthy individuals are reported. Results indicate a decrease in muscle activation, by a factor of 29 and 26% for plantar flexion and dorsiflexion motion while walking with assistance from the developed AFO. The developed system has potential application in the field of assistive technology for geriatrics or for patient with mobility impairments, muscle weakness or as a performance enhancer.

Inspec keywords: medical robotics; handicapped aids; actuators; orthotics; muscle; geriatrics

Other keywords: geriatrics; user interaction force; walking capacity; dorsiflexion motion; mobility impairments; active ankle foot orthosis; robotic AFO; system usability; linear actuator mechanism; muscle weakness; plantar flexion; muscle activation; active AFO

Subjects: Prosthetic and orthotic control systems; Robotics

References

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      • 6. Tanida, S., Kikuchi, T., Kakehashi, T., et al: ‘Intelligently controllable ankle foot orthosis (I-AFO) and its application for a patient of Guillain–Barre syndrome’. IEEE 11th Int. Conf. on Rehabilitation Robotics, Kyoto Int. Conf. Center, Japan, 23–26 June 2009.
http://iet.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1049/el.2016.3056
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