抄録
Based on Japanese aging society, home-based rehabilitation devices for an exercise, training and therapy are required to recover from physical disabilities after injured. This study aims to develop a low-cost and simple home-based rehabilitation device that can be used without any special knowledge. In the previous study, the portable rehabilitation device using flexible pneumatic cylinders that could provide passive therapy to patients by changing the relative position of the patient’s wrist was successfully developed. However, the tested actuator has a risk of biting and injury because it has sliding parts. In addition, it is better to construct the device that can also be washed at home. In this study, we aim to develop a washable home-based portable rehabilitation device that does not have any sliding parts and parts to be easily rusted. In this paper, a washable portable rehabilitation device using extension type flexible pneumatic actuators (“EFPA” for short) that can create a rotational motion was proposed and tested. To realize the rotational motion with a compact configuration, a spherical actuator using three EFPAs and restraint plates that can lead rotational deformation for each EFPA is proposed and tested. The construction and the operating principle of the tested actuator is also described. In addition, an attitude control system without sensor using a low-cost embedded controller and on/off valves is also proposed and tested. As a result, it can be confirmed that the tested device can give a rehabilitation motion that includes rotational motions toward every directions and extension motion with both hands.
