Repetitive task training is an effective form of rehabilitation for people suffering from debilitating injuries of stroke. We present the design and working concept of a robotic gait trainer (RGT), an ankle rehabilitation device for assisting stroke patients during gait. Structurally based on a tripod mechanism, the device is a parallel robot that incorporates two pneumatically powered, double-acting, compliant, spring over muscle actuators as actuation links which move the ankle in dorsiflex ion/plantarflexion and inversion/eversion. A unique feature in the tripod design is that the human anatomy is part of the robot, the first fixed link being the patient’s leg. The kinematics and workspace of the tripod device have been analyzed determining its range of motion. Experimental gait data from an able-bodied person wearing the working RGT prototype are presented.
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e-mail: thomas.sugar@asu.edu
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November 2005
Technical Briefs
Design of a Robotic Gait Trainer using Spring Over Muscle Actuators for Ankle Stroke Rehabilitation
Kartik Bharadwaj,
Kartik Bharadwaj
Human/Machine Integration Laboratory,
Arizona State University
, Tempe, AZ 85287
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Thomas G. Sugar,
Thomas G. Sugar
Human/Machine Integration Laboratory,
e-mail: thomas.sugar@asu.edu
Arizona State University
, Tempe, AZ 85287
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Edward J. Koeneman
Edward J. Koeneman
Kinetic Muscles Inc.
, Tempe, AZ 85281
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Kartik Bharadwaj
Human/Machine Integration Laboratory,
Arizona State University
, Tempe, AZ 85287
Thomas G. Sugar
Human/Machine Integration Laboratory,
Arizona State University
, Tempe, AZ 85287e-mail: thomas.sugar@asu.edu
James B. Koeneman
Edward J. Koeneman
Kinetic Muscles Inc.
, Tempe, AZ 85281J Biomech Eng. Nov 2005, 127(6): 1009-1013 (5 pages)
Published Online: July 13, 2005
Article history
Received:
March 31, 2005
Revised:
July 13, 2005
Citation
Bharadwaj, K., Sugar, T. G., Koeneman, J. B., and Koeneman, E. J. (July 13, 2005). "Design of a Robotic Gait Trainer using Spring Over Muscle Actuators for Ankle Stroke Rehabilitation." ASME. J Biomech Eng. November 2005; 127(6): 1009–1013. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2049333
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