| Description |
Due to complex diseases and injuries, some people have impaired walking motion which can negatively impact their lives and correlates to a high risk of fall and deteriorated gait patterns. Research has shown that there is a strong connection between the arms and the legs while walking. As such, aiding in the restoration of movement in the arms closer to baseline conditions could facilitate better gait recovery. Due to this, it is possible that a wearable device that manipulates the arms into the correct motion could help people walk better. To evaluate this possibility, a design is proposed of a cable-based system that can lift the arm and then release it to mimic the version of the arm-swing movement generated while walking. This is achieved with a system of cables and pulleys actuated by an electric motor. Simultaneously, the device aims to be lightweight and unobtrusive, preferably being able to be implemented in clothes or hidden underneath them. With this initial design, the capabilities and behavior of the device were tested through the open loop control of the motor to ensure that the cable actuation system and design are capable of lifting the arm and creating the correct motion. The preliminary result presented in this paper focuses on the functional testing of the motor actuation of the system. The primary focus is on the device's ability to recreate the range of motion expected in the gait of healthy adults. Additionally, the behavior of the model is observed with the hope of a future prototype including full closed loop control of arm trajectories as well as an optimized system for dynamic arm motions. |
