Abstract
Here we show that novel, energy-recycling stairs reduce the amount of work required for humans to both ascend and descend stairs. Our low-power, interactive, and modular steps can be placed on existing staircases, storing energy during stair descent and returning that energy to the user during stair ascent. Energy is recycled through event-triggered latching and unlatching of passive springs without the use of powered actuators. When ascending the energy-recycling stairs, naive users generated 17.4 ± 6.9% less positive work with their leading legs compared to conventional stairs, with the knee joint positive work reduced by 37.7 ± 10.5%. Users also generated 21.9 ± 17.8% less negative work with their trailing legs during stair descent, with ankle joint negative work reduced by 26.0 ± 15.9%. Our low-power energy-recycling stairs have the potential to assist people with mobility impairments during stair negotiation on existing staircases.
Highlights
Stair negotiation is a demanding task that limits the independence of individuals with mobility impairments such as muscle weakness, joint pain, or reduced sensorimotor control
Our work demonstrates the feasibility of a low power, modular, interactive device to assist those with difficulty in stair negotiation in their homes
Our promising results that show energy-recycling during stair negotiation in young healthy participants motivate further refinement and optimization of the Energy-Recycling Assistive Stairs to aid older adults and individuals with a wide range of mobility impairments
Summary
Stair negotiation is a demanding task that limits the independence of individuals with mobility impairments such as muscle weakness, joint pain, or reduced sensorimotor control. Patients—such as those with hip osteoarthritis—adopt altered joint movements to reduce pain during stair negotiation [6]. Even if they are capable of using stairs, people with mobility impairments often avoid stair negotiation [5, 7]. Current solutions providing assistance in stair negotiation are costly, energy-consuming, and do not help to retain the user’s ability to negotiate stairs independently.
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