A Review Paper on Designing of Knee Support System for Elderly People

Abstract

Knee pain can now occur in people as young as their 30s, not just in their 60s and 70s. As the elderly population grows, hospitals will have a hard time accepting more patients due to the high demand for services. The focus will shift from post-accident care to preventative care, especially for people with knee pain. The first step in designing and developing a successful knee exoskeleton is to conduct high-quality research on the following topics: knee structure, the diseased state of osteoarthritis, knee kinematics, gait analysis, the existing market for knee exoskeletons, actuation methods, novel software, sensors, and more. The study found that applying heat to the knee increases tissue temperature, softens surrounding tissues, reduces tissue viscosity, increases connective tissue extensibility, reduces pain, and increases joint mobility. Flexible sensors are used in wearable devices such as electric skin, flexible strain gauge sensors, motion detectors, and self-repairing sensors. A self-adjusting knee joint is being developed to allow passive self-alignment with the ICR of the natural knee. Neoprene rubber is a synthetic closed-cell rubber used in medical devices, but it lacks breathability and restricts the movement of water vapor, moisture, and heat. Knitted stretch fabrics provide warmth and compression to injured areas, and foam provides shock protection and pressure points to promote healing. Test methods are used to evaluate the dimensional, mechanical, and thermo-physiological properties for material selection. A wearable suit design was studied using a Design of Experiments approach, with eight key parameters identified and an optimization method developed. Robotics and automation technology were used to address discomfort issues in the body-worn knee exoskeleton design.