下肢関節運動の制動を支援する小児用外骨格ブレーキユニット

抄録

This study proposes a modular electromagnetic brake unit for motion support exoskeleton robots. The brake unit attached to a knee ankle foot orthosis provides damping at the target joint, thus can be used to suppress undesired joint behavior in certain locomotion impairments. The target application of the device is for children with crouched gait. This gait abnormality is characterized by excessive flexion in lower limbs’ joints. We propose to use the developed device to suppress the excessive knee flexion in stance phase and to support body weight. This paper describes the development, testing and assessment of the brake unit and the control method for gait support.