抄録
Along with the steadily rising elderly population in Japan, the number of aged persons with difficulties in walking is increasing. These patients undergo rehabilitation in hospitals which impose a constant and heavy burden upon the health care personnel who must assist them Additionally, there is growing shortage for caregivers in the hospital care. This paper deals with a sensor-assisted walking aid (SAWA) that enables a patient to perform his own rehabilitation thereby reducing the caregivers burden. The SAWA is automatically controlled by some sensors. First, two typical patterns are described of patients falling while using an ordinary walker during rehabilitation. Next, there is an explanation on two sensors which are able to recognize the two patterns. Finally, an experiment is presented describing how SAWA, with information automatically activated, can prevent patients from falling.
