DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE MOTORLESS WALKING ASSISTANCE AND EVALUATION OF MUSCLE ACTIVITY

Walking disorders are a major challenge for people with neuromuscular or musculoskeletal impairments, resulting in reduced mobility and quality of life. This paper addresses an approach to design a comprehensive mechanical walking assist that facilitates foot flexion and extension for the walking by applying the force at the ankle, while adjusting the walking motion and posture to a healthy pattern. The apparatus uses an offset slider crank mechanism to lift the foot and complete the dorsiflexion, and a four-bar linkage to assist the plantarflexion by using the action-reaction force from the lever kicks against the ground. The forefoot mechanical pressure sensor accommodates triggering to both motions, and the heel sensor acts as auxiliary releasing the lever. The experiments showed that both plantarflexion and dorsiflexion are assisted. The corresponding muscle activity for each motion is reduced, promoting a safer and healthier walking. The apparatus has the potential to improve the mobility and quality of life for who with walking disorders and impairments, and could be applied to other domains where mechanical assistance is required, promising a trend to walking rehabilitation with less cost, providing the reference for experiment configuration and further study.