Development of body weight support gait training system using pneumatic Mckibben actuator ~Development of Measurement and Control System~

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to develop body weight support (BWS) gait training system for stroke and the spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. This BWS gait training system consists of an orthosis powered by pneumatic McKibben actuators (PMA), double belt treadmill with force sensor, and equipment of BWS. We developed the program to measure subject's gait parameters for new assistive control system. In this study, we evaluated the program corresponding to the subject condition such as change in treadmill speed or BWS level. This program is useful to measure the gait parameters when treadmill speed is changed. When the BWS level was low, it can analyze the gait parameter correctly. However when the BWS level was high, It was difficult to define the gait parameter.