Embedded Control System for Smart Walking Assistance Device

• Published in: IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering Vol. 25; no. 3; pp. 205 - 214
• Main Authors: Bosnak, Matevz, Skrjanc, Igor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States IEEE 01.03.2017; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Control design; Control systems; Embedded systems; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Exoskeleton Device; Gait Disorders, Neurologic - physiopathology; Gait Disorders, Neurologic - rehabilitation; Humans; Injuries; Legged locomotion; Man-machine interfaces; Neurological Rehabilitation - instrumentation; Neurological Rehabilitation - methods; Programmable logic controllers; Rehabilitation; Rotating bodies; Self-Help Devices; Sensor systems; Servocontrol; Servomechanisms; Servomotors; Task Performance and Analysis; Therapy, Computer-Assisted - instrumentation; Therapy, Computer-Assisted - methods; user-intention-based control; walk assistance device; walk rehabilitation; Walking; Wheels
• ISSN: 1534-4320; 1558-0210; 1558-0210
• DOI: 10.1109/TNSRE.2016.2553369

This paper presents the design and implementation of a unique control system for a smart hoist, a therapeutic device that is used in rehabilitation of walking. The control system features a unique human-machine interface that allows the human to intuitively control the system just by moving or rotating its body. The paper contains an overview of the complete system, including the design and implementation of custom sensors, dc servo motor controllers, communication interfaces and embedded-system based central control system. The prototype of the complete system was tested by conducting a 6-runs experiment on 11 subjects and results are showing that the proposed control system interface is indeed intuitive and simple to adopt by the user.