A Study on Development of an Intelligent Human-Gait Training and Rehabilitation Machine for Welfare

1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 07650310
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Intelligent mechanics/Mechanical systems
• Research Institution: Osaka Prefecture University
• Principal Investigator: ONO Toshiro Osaka Prefecture University, College of Engineering, Professor, 工学部, 教授 (20081250)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YOSHIDA Koji Okayama Prefectural University, Faculty of Computer Science & System Engineering, 情報工学部, 助教授 (00254433) ; KOMATSU Nobuo Shizuoka Institute of Science and Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology,, 理工学部, 講師 (80215392) ; WADA Teruyo Osaka Prefecture University, College of Engineering, Assistant Professor, 工学部, 講師 (70201259) ; INOUE Hisahiro Osaka Prefecture University, College of Engineering, Assistant Professor, 工学部, 講師 (80081248)
• Project Period (FY): 1995 – 1997
• Keywords: Welfare engineering / Human-gait training and rehabilitation machine / Rehabilitation / Intelligence

Research Abstract

Training and rehabilitation machines for aged people or handicapped people must be adapted to each person. This requirement can be realized by making the machines intelligent implementing software. For this purpose, the basic researches were accomplished on development of an intelligent human-gait training and rehabilitation machine (IHGTR machine) system. The IHGTR machine consists of two footboards on a conveyer, on which a trainee is exercised in walking and whose slopes are intelligently controlled for each trainee. In this research, the following components which were necessary to construct the IHGTR machine system were developed, designed and produced.
-Modeling of Human-Gait : Human-gait model was derived as a neural-network model based on the data of the joint angles and the center of ground reaction forces, which were recorded from healthy people or trainees in healthy condition. The input of the obtained model is the signal of the joint angles, and its output is that of the center of forces.
-Individualization : The IC-card (data carrier) system, which memorized individual information of trainees, was developed.
-Design and Production of a Controllable Footboard : A footboard, whose slope was controllable, was designed and produced.
When a trainee is exercising, the joint angles and the center of forces are measured. Comparing the signal of his center of forces with the output of the human-gait model which gives the data of the normal and steady human-gait, the slopes of the footboards are on-line controlled in order for the former signals to coincide with the latter. This training and rehabilitation machine is individualized by combining with the IC-card system which memorizes and recalls individual training information.