RehabilitationWalker with Standing-Assistance Device

Abstract

The walker with power assistance for standing we propose focuses on home use for those requiring daily assistance. Our key concepts involve (1) a new assistance manipulator with four parallel linkages using smaller actuators and rigid with lighter linkages than general manipulators, providing compact assistance at low cost; and (2) a combination of force and position control. Based on the user’s posture while standing, our proposed control selects appropriate control using the reference of standing based on typical standing by nursing specialists for realizing natural assistance. The conductance of our proposed assistance is verified by computer simulation and experiments using a prototype.