Abstract
We proposed and have been studying a multiple-dof leg rehabilitation system which employs a wire-driven mechanism. Using a parallel wire mechanism, multiple-dof motion can be achieved with relatively low powered actuators compared with the mechanisms that use conventional rigid links. Also, since wire-driven mechanisms are light and flexible, it makes the system human-friendly. Our eventual goal is to develop a rehabilitation system that carries out 6-dof motions of hip, knee and ankle joint. In order to achieve this goal, we are taking a gradual approach. In this paper, we describe a 2-dof experimental system which we designed and built. Target motions of the 2-dof system are flexion/extension of both hip and knee joints. We also mention a 4-dof experimental system which was built by extending degrees of freedom of the system. Target motions of the system are hip joint flexion/extension, hip joint abduction/adduction. hip joint external/internal rotation, and knee joint flexion/extension. Experiments showed that the multiple-dof joint exercise can be carried out using the proposed system.
