Design and functional evaluation of an adjustable powered exoskeleton for gait assistance.

Background: Exoskeleton technology supports gait rehabilitation in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), promoting walking independence. However, current powered exoskeletons often face challenges in adaptability, particularly skin problems caused by inadequate fit to the lower limbs. Objective...

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Publicado en:Technology & Disability Vol. 37; no. 2; pp. 149 - 162
Autores principales: Oyama, Hideki, Ikeda, Hiroyasu
Formato: algorithm pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Sage Publications Inc. May2025
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: May2025
      vid: 37
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      pub: Sage Publications Inc.
      place: Thousand Oaks, California
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        atl: Design and functional evaluation of an adjustable powered exoskeleton for gait assistance.
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          Oyama, Hideki
          Ikeda, Hiroyasu
        affil: National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan, Tokyo, Japan
      sug:
        subj:
          Spinal Cord Injuries Complications
          Gait Disorders, Neurologic Rehabilitation
          Spinal Cord Injuries Rehabilitation
          Exoskeleton Devices Evaluation
          Orthoses Design Evaluation
          Gait
          Functional Assessment
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Gait Analysis
          Motion Analysis Systems
          Movement
          Pain Prevention and Control
          Kinematics
          Hip Joint Physiology
          Knee Joint Physiology
          Motion Capture
          Comparative Studies
          Assistive Technology Devices
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background: Exoskeleton technology supports gait rehabilitation in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), promoting walking independence. However, current powered exoskeletons often face challenges in adaptability, particularly skin problems caused by inadequate fit to the lower limbs. Objective: This study aimed to develop a powered exoskeleton for SCI featuring a unique mechanism to adjust the left-right joint angle, accommodating diverse lower limb alignments. Functional evaluation included fitting (device-to-body clearance, subjective pain, discomfort, and fit) and kinematic (hip and knee joint angles) parameters using markerless motion capture. Methods: A comparative study was conducted to compare walking with and without a prototype. Results: Ten healthy adults (seven males, three females; average height, 167 ± 10 cm; weight, 58 ± 9 kg) participated in the study. Clearance values were acceptable, pain and discomfort were minimal, and fit satisfaction was high. Gait analysis revealed significant positive correlations between normal walking and using the prototype for both joint angles (hip: r = 0.70, p < 0.001; knee: r = 0.84, p < 0.001), indicating effective gait assistance. Conclusions: A prototype exoskeleton with adjustable mechanism was developed, fitting well and effectively assisting with walking. Further refinement and testing with SCI patients are necessary for its clinical application.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        algorithm
        pictorial
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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