122 Development of Hybrid Controlled Walking Assist Machine Using Flexible-Shaft

Abstract

In this paper, a new walking assist machine on which a flexible shaft is applied. A combination of the flexible shaft with a worm gear is successfully adopted on this walking assist machine to develop its appearance simple and its size compact. This walking assist machine is actively controlled with a hybrid control system witch control both torque and angle at ankle joint. In this control system, the torsion spring constant of the flexible shaft is took into account to control power and the rotating angle of the motor witch assist over 70% power of normal walking. Walking experiments using this machine show the walking assist machine is well fit to walking.