Influence of a Soft Robotic Suit on Metabolic Cost in Long-Distance Level and Inclined Walking.

Shanhai Jin,Motoji Yamamoto,Shijie Guo,Hashimoto Kazunobu,Xiaogang Xiong

doi:10.1155/2018/9573951

Abstract

Metabolic cost during walking is positively linked to exercise intensity. For a walking assistive device, one of the major aims should be the maximization of wearers' metabolic benefits for different walking situations. Toward this goal, this paper experimentally evaluates the influence of an authors' soft robotic suit, which has been developed to assist hip flexion for energy-efficient walking of elderly persons in daily life activities, on metabolic cost reduction in the long-distance level and inclined walking. Experiment results show that, for a 79-year-old healthy male subject, the robotic suit significantly reduced metabolic cost in the condition of the robotic suit worn and powered on compared with the condition of worn but powered off.

Highlights

The proportion of the elderly population is steadily increasing, and the number is estimated to reach almost 22% of the global population in 2050 [1,2,3]
Metabolic cost was reduced in the powered on (PON) condition in eleven of twelve intervals compared with the powered off (POFF) condition, with a maximum reduction of 16.1%
As illustrated by the results, metabolic cost of level walking was reduced in the PON condition compared with the POFF condition for almost every 5minute intervals, with a maximum reduction of 16.1% and an average reduction of 9.1%

Summary

Introduction

The proportion of the elderly population is steadily increasing, and the number is estimated to reach almost 22% of the global population in 2050 [1,2,3]. Many elderly persons suffer walking difficulties because of lower limb skeletal muscle decline caused by aging. As a result, they perform shorter and fewer walking activity, which is positively related to the quality of elderly life, compared with young ones [4]. They perform shorter and fewer walking activity, which is positively related to the quality of elderly life, compared with young ones [4] Such reduced walking activity may result in many psychosocial problems, for example, social isolation, unhappiness, or depression. On the other hand, reduced walking activity, in turn, causes further lower limb skeletal muscle decline They may experience a vicious cycle of physical activity reduction and skeletal muscle decline

Results

Discussion

Conclusion