Abstract
BackgroundA robotic exoskeleton device is an intelligent system designed to improve gait performance and quality of life for the wearer. Robotic technology has developed rapidly in recent years, and several robot-assisted gait devices were developed to enhance gait function and activities of daily living in elderly adults and patients with gait disorders. In this study, we investigated the effects of the Gait-enhancing Mechatronic System (GEMS), a new wearable robotic hip-assist device developed by Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd., Korea, on gait performance and foot pressure distribution in elderly adults.MethodsThirty elderly adults who had no neurological or musculoskeletal abnormalities affecting gait participated in this study. A three-dimensional (3D) motion capture system, surface electromyography and the F-Scan system were used to collect data on spatiotemporal gait parameters, muscle activity and foot pressure distribution under three conditions: free gait without robot assistance (FG), robot-assisted gait with zero torque (RAG-Z) and robot-assisted gait (RAG).ResultsWe found increased gait speed, cadence, stride length and single support time in the RAG condition. Reduced rectus femoris and medial gastrocnemius muscle activity throughout the terminal stance phase and reduced effort of the medial gastrocnemius muscle throughout the pre-swing phase were also observed in the RAG condition. In addition, walking with the assistance of GEMS resulted in a significant increase in foot pressure distribution, specifically in maximum force and peak pressure of the total foot, medial masks, anterior masks and posterior masks.ConclusionThe results of the present study reveal that GEMS may present an alternative way of restoring age-related changes in gait such as gait instability with muscle weakness, reduced step force and lower foot pressure in elderly adults. In addition, GEMS improved gait performance by improving push-off power and walking speed and reducing muscle activity in the lower extremities.Trial registrationNCT02843828.
Highlights
A robotic exoskeleton device is an intelligent system designed to improve gait performance and quality of life for the wearer
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the new wearable hip-assist robot called the Gait-enhancing Mechatronic System (GEMS) (Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd., Suwon, Korea) on gait performance and foot pressure distribution in elderly adults
Muscle activity in walking with the GEMS throughout the gait cycle Figure 3 shows the average surface electromyography (sEMG) activity (%maximal voluntary contraction (MVC)) of measured muscles during one gait cycle, which is defined by the period from heel contact of one foot to subsequent heel contact of the same foot
Summary
A robotic exoskeleton device is an intelligent system designed to improve gait performance and quality of life for the wearer. We investigated the effects of the Gait-enhancing Mechatronic System (GEMS), a new wearable robotic hip-assist device developed by Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd., Korea, on gait performance and foot pressure distribution in elderly adults. Robotic exoskeleton devices are intelligent systems designed for improvement of gait performance and activities of daily living (ADLs). Several robotassisted gait devices have been developed to enhance effective walking and to increase social interaction in elderly adults and people with gait disorders. To enhance walking performance and to increase the community mobility in elderly adults and patients with gait disorders, the Stride Management Assist (SMA®) System was developed by Honda R&D Corporation, Japan. To help patients with mobility disorders, the LOPES (Lower-extremity Powered ExoSkeleton) was developed by the University of Twente (Enschede, The Netherlands) as a gait rehabilitation robot for treadmill training. A soft lower extremity robotic exosuit was developed by Wehner et al, at Harvard University (Cambridge, MA, USA) to assist individuals with muscle weakness or patients who suffer from physical or neurological disorders [5]
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