Abstract
Purpose: It is a study of the assessment of the possibility of development of a double purpose rehabilitation device. The device would serve to train upper-limbs during Motivative exercise used concomitantly with a lift. The device should be easy to handle and freely moveable for conducting care at home, with a regulation of the level of difficulty during rehabilitation effort. It should also help the aged disabled persons to advance to live independently from care givers. We also aimed to develop a wheel movement-type lift in order to enable the use in a small space effectively. Methods: The practicality of a wheel lift of portable type is low in a house with a level difference. To resolve the problem we offered a high function device and we evaluated the device parts and conducted the opinion poll its usefulness. The parts studied were the following; the leg which was equipped with the slide stabilizing slide and attached casters to prevent slipping off of feet , the rise-and-fall guide division, the suspension system for upper limbs training, the components of the suspension-system suitable for upper limbs training, operation traction arm, and brake and power assisting mechanisms. We experimented with device parts, and tested them on two sleds bend. We also tested the parts for holding feet as a level difference passing test, the front wheel level difference passing repetition running test, and the overweight load test in Kanagawa Industrial Technology Research Institute. To popularize the device after its development, we performed a questionnaire survey directed to 2000 nursing elderly facilities in Tokyo and Osaka and collecting opinions during the instrument fair. Results: We confirmed the safety of parts during intensive use as a worker with sleds and clarified the development possibility. The questionnaire showed a high level of device acceptance and motivation to use it, although the knowledge on both Takizawa method of rehabilitation and a walker with sled was rather low. Conclusions: We could confirm the importance and possibility of commercialization of the device. But it became clear that to generalize the use of the device it is necessary to introduce a law for using assisting devices as present in some European countries.
