Abstract
Dementia is one of major concerns for the elderly. Aerobic exercise is one of preventive measures, and cycling is a candidate for such an aerobic exercise. However, cycling has some risks, e.g. traffic accidents, for the elderly suffering from physical and / or cognitive problems. Purpose of this study is a development of a bike for exercise equipment that provides a safe and continuous and joyful exercise. In our previous study, we developed a virtual reality cycling system (VR Bike) using a magnetorheological fluid brake (MR brake). Users can drive the bike in the virtual world with visual, sound and haptic information. In this study, we developed a torque control system using a PIC. A magnetic fluid seal testing machine was developed to test the friction of a magnetic fluid seal with MRF.
