Design of active ankle foot orthotics for gait assistance and fall prevention

Abstract

An active ankle-foot orthosis (AAFO) was developed with the intent of providing propulsive ground reaction force to individuals at risk of experiencing fall. The device makes use of one double-acting cylinder per leg, and a lever arm system to transfer propulsive force to the ground, and potentially assist in fall prevention and rehabilitation. Preliminary tests have been shown to improve ground reaction forces in walking. In this paper, the design and construction of the device is included as well as the control algorithm used and testing procedure. This research may be used to advance the field of gait assistance and fall prevention through use of active foot orthotics.