Development of Bipedal Robot Foot Mimicking Human Plantar Pressure Distribution and Evaluation Based on Plantar Pressure Distribution

Abstract

A variety of walking aids have been developed to assist disabled individuals in their mobility. However, in order to conduct clinical trials with disabled subjects, it is necessary to confirm the safety of the aids prior to actual use. This safety confirmation process can be both time-consuming and costly. As such, the development of robots as substitutes for human subjects has become a viable solution. Our research focuses on developing a small and cost-effective bipedal walking robot that moves similarly to a human. We have developed a robot foot section with hallux and fifth toe pads to mimic the plantar pressure distribution during human static standing. From the measurement results of the plantar pressure distribution in the robot foot section, it was found that as the tension of the plantar fascia increased, the load on the forefoot also increased.