Akihiko Sakai

Walk training system: improvement of the ability of postural control

It is necessary to develop machinery that will help the aged support themselves, and the ambulatory capability is most important for the aged. We therefore started developing the Walk Training System for use in walk rehabilitation. To provide walk rehabilitation that can be adapted to trainees who have unequal leg abilities due to strokes, we designed a treadmill that has two endless belts driven by servo motors, one for each leg. By adjusting the belt settings individually, the trainee can do walk rehabilitation without braces. Field tests with people suffering from heavy hemiplegia confirmed that this system is useful in improving the ability of stroke victims to control their posture.

System design and field-testing of the walk training system

The ability to walk enhances overall ability of daily life (ADL) of the elderly. Technically aiding the ability to walk is a basic solution for elderly society. A walk training system for the elderly is now under development. It has two parts: a training environment and a patient support element. The training environment comprises a treadmill and a display. The user stands on the treadmill and begins to walk. The endless belts of the treadmill are driven by active impedance control. The user is supported by a two degree-of-freedom manipulator. The force on the support is determined by the displacement of the user from the reference point, so as to maintain the attitude of the user or to support the users weight. The walk training system was tested on 30 persons. Its basic function was rated highly.