Abstract
In this paper, a dynamically controlled/powered walking support system was described. Certain requirements must be met when developing a walking support system; it must be light weight and safe. Particularly, in this paper, emphasis is placed on maintaining natural appearance by a simple, small, and lightweight device. To meet the requirements of the walking support system using a simply designed device, development must be conducted considering muscular activity. Muscular activity revealed that the anterior muscles are activated during balancing, and that the tibialis anterior muscle is the most important muscle for assist during walking. Based on these results, a walking support system with dynamic motion assist functions for the ankle and knee joint was successfully developed. The system exhibits suitable functionality and maintains the natural appearance by using flexible shafts for power transmission.
