Abstract
Upright-legged locomotion is a desirable ability for people with paraplegia. This paper introduces a newly developed lightweight powered exoskeleton (LIPE) for level walking and posture transfer of people with paraplegia using a user-centered design concept, which integrates the requirements of practical use, mechanical structure, and control system. The LIPE was evaluated with two subjects through several experimental tasks including kinematics and dynamics analysis in a local hospital. Results of functional evaluation showed that these subjects received the exoskeleton intervention well and the LIPE could provide appropriate gait assistance to the wearer during level walking, it could also help the wearer achieve the posture transfer from sitting to standing or from standing to sitting independently. Moreover, an endurance test also indicated that LIPE allows wearers to use it continuously for a long time. It is lightweight, cost effective, easy to use, and practical for people with paraplegia in their daily lives.
Highlights
People with paraplegia caused by spinal cord injury expect to walk again
Research has shown that long-term wheelchair dependence can entail significant health implications, including pressure sores, osteoporosis, muscle spasticity, constipation, obesity [2], even increased incidence of urinary tract infection, impaired lymphatic and vascular circulation, and reduced respiratory and cardiovascular capacities [3]
Two subjects volunteered and signed the written consent forms to participate in this study approved by the Institutional Review Committee of Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences
Summary
Many of them cannot achieve independent standing or walking ability after rehabilitation [1]. They are forced to use a wheelchair for mobility in activities of daily living (ADL). There is often limited information available about these devices due to their commercialization It can be seen from the open information that REX and ATALANTE are remarkable in that they are self-stabilizing without requiring crutches. This frees the user’s hands but comes at the cost of an extremely low walking speed and an increased overall weight
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Schedule a callMore From: IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
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