Evaluation system

Abstract

To provide an evaluation system capable of efficiently evaluating a walking training device.SOLUTION: An evaluation system according to the present embodiment includes: a treadmill; a load distribution sensor which is attached to the treadmill to detect the load distribution received from the soles of a trainee standing on a belt of the treadmill; and a control device that controls the belt of the treadmill on the basis of the detection result by the load distribution sensor, and evaluates a walking training device. The evaluation system further includes at least: a carriage that can be placed on the belt of the treadmill, and has multiple wheels and an endless track which is formed in a ring shape so as to enclose the multiple wheels and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the belt of the treadmill; a weight which is mounted on the carriage; and an overhang part which is formed so as to locally protrude from the surface of the endless track.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an evaluation system. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a walking rehabilitation system that includes a treadmill and a floor reaction force sensor that measures the reaction force acting on the treadmill. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6187208 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, in a walking training device such as a walking rehabilitation system, in order to improve reliability, it is necessary to evaluate the durability of the treadmill belt and the detection accuracy of the floor reaction force sensor built into the treadmill. However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose or suggest a method for evaluating the durability of the treadmill belt and the detection accuracy of the floor reaction force sensor built into the treadmill. Therefore, in the walking rehabilitation system disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is considered that the evaluation is performed by having a person actually walk on the treadmill belt. However, such an evaluation method has a problem that the evaluation time increases because it is difficult to perform an acceleration test. In other words, Patent Document 1 has a problem that the walking rehabilitation system cannot be efficiently evaluated.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above background, and has an object to provide an evaluation system capable of efficiently evaluating a walking training device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an evaluation system for evaluating a walking training device includes a treadmill, a load distribution sensor attached to the treadmill for detecting the distribution of loads received from the soles of the feet of a trainee riding on the belt of the treadmill, and a control device for controlling the belt of the treadmill based on the detection result of the load distribution sensor, and includes at least a cart configured to be installed on the belt of the treadmill and having a plurality of wheels and an endless track formed in an annular shape surrounding the plurality of wheels and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the belt of the treadmill, a weight mounted on the cart, and a protruding portion formed to protrude locally from the surface of the endless track. This evaluation system can reproduce human walking using the cart, making it possible to perform an acceleration test, and as a result, it is possible to efficiently evaluate the walking training device. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an evaluation system capable of efficiently evaluating a walking training device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of a walking training device that is evaluated by an evaluation system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic side view of a portion of a treadmill provided in the walking training apparatus shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 2 is a schematic perspective view showing one configuration example of a walking assistance device (robot legs) provided in the walking training device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a system configuration of the walking training device shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of an evaluation system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic side view of an evaluation system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the evaluation system according to the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the invention according to the claims is not limited to the following embodiments. In addition, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential as means for solving the problems. For clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings are omitted and simplified as appropriate. In each drawing, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations are omitted as necessary.

[0010] <Embodiment 1> First, a walking training device evaluated by the evaluation system according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is an overall conceptual diagram showing an example of a configuration of a walking training device 100 evaluated by the evaluation system according to the first embodiment. The walking training device 100 is a specific example of a rehabilitation support device that supports the rehabilitation of a trainee (user) 900, and in particular, a specific example of a walking training device that supports walking training. The walking training device 100 is a device for a trainee 900, who is a hemiplegic patient suffering from paralysis in one leg, to perform walking training under the guidance of a training staff member 901. Here, the training staff member 901 can be, for example, a therapist (physiotherapist) or a doctor, and can also be called a training instructor, training assistant, training assistant, etc., since the training staff member 901 assists the trainee in training by guidance or assistance. The walking training device 100 can also be called a walking training system. Note that the up-down direction, left-right direction, and front-back direction in the following description are directions based on the orientation of the trainee 900.

[0011] Specifically, the walking training device 100 mainly comprises a control panel 133 attached to a frame 130 that forms the overall skeleton, a treadmill 131 on which the trainee 900 walks, and a walking assistance device (robot leg) 120 that is attached to the affected leg, which is the paralyzed leg, of the trainee 900.

[0012] The treadmill 131 is a device that encourages the trainee 900 to walk, and the trainee 900 who is undergoing walking training gets on a belt 1311 and attempts to walk in accordance with the movement of the belt 1311. Note that the training staff 901 can stand on the belt 1311 behind the trainee 900 as shown in FIG. 1, for example, and walk together with the trainee, but it is usually preferable for the training staff 901 to be in a position that makes it easy to assist the trainee 900, such as standing astride the belt 1311.

[0013] Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of a portion of the treadmill 131. As shown in Fig. 2, the treadmill 131 at least includes a ring-shaped belt 1311, a pulley 1312, and a motor (not shown). A load distribution sensor 222 is provided on the inside of the belt 1311 (below the belt 1311 on which the trainee 900 sits) so as not to move in conjunction with the belt 1311. However, the load distribution sensor 222 may also be provided on the upper side of the belt 1311 so as to move in conjunction with the belt 1311.

[0014] The load distribution sensor 222 is composed of a plurality of sensors, which are arranged in a matrix on the underside of the belt 1311 supporting the soles of the trainee 900. By using these multiple sensors, the load distribution sensor 222 can detect the magnitude and distribution of the surface pressure (load) received from the soles of the trainee 900. For example, the load distribution sensor 222 is a resistance change detection type load detection sheet in which a plurality of electrodes are arranged in a matrix. The walking state of the trainee 900 (whether each leg is in a standing state or a swing state, etc.) can be determined based on the detection result of the load distribution sensor 222. A method for determining the walking state of the trainee 900 based on the detection result of the load distribution sensor 222 will be described later in detail.

[0015] In the treadmill 131, for example, the overall control unit 210 described later determines the walking state of the trainee 900 based on the detection result of the load distribution sensor 222, and rotates (moves) the ring-shaped belt 1311 by rotating the pulley 1312 using a motor (not shown) according to the walking state. This allows the trainee 900 to perform walking training without going beyond the belt 1311.

[0016] The frame 130 is erected on a treadmill 131 placed on the floor, and supports a control panel 133 that houses an overall control unit 210 that controls the motor and sensors, a training monitor 138 that is, for example, a liquid crystal panel that displays the progress of training to the trainee 900, and the like. The frame 130 also supports a front pulling unit 135 near the front of the upper part of the trainee 900's head, a harness pulling unit 112 near the upper part of the head, and a rear pulling unit 137 near the rear of the upper part of the head. The frame 130 also includes handrails 130a for the trainee 900 to grasp.

[0017] The handrails 130a are arranged on both the left and right sides of the trainee 900. Each handrail 130a is arranged in a direction parallel to the walking direction of the trainee 900. The handrails 130a are adjustable in vertical and horizontal positions. In other words, the handrails 130a can include a mechanism for changing their height and width. Furthermore, the handrails 130a can be configured so that their inclination angle can be changed, for example, by adjusting the height to be different between the front side and the rear side in the walking direction. For example, the handrails 130a can be given an inclination angle that gradually increases along the walking direction.

[0018] The handrail 130a is also provided with a handrail sensor 218 that detects the load received from the trainee 900. For example, the handrail sensor 218 can be a resistance change detection type load detection sheet in which electrodes are arranged in a matrix. The handrail sensor 218 can also be a six-axis sensor that combines a three-axis acceleration sensor (x, y, z) and a three-axis gyro sensor (roll, pitch, yaw). However, the type and installation position of the handrail sensor 218 are not important.

[0019] The camera 140 functions as an imaging unit for observing the entire body of the trainee 900. The camera 140 is installed near the training monitor 138 so as to face the trainee 900. The camera 140 takes still images and videos of the trainee 900 during training. The camera 140 includes a lens and imaging element set that provides an angle of view sufficient to capture the entire body of the trainee 900. The imaging element is, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor, and converts an optical image formed on an imaging surface into an image signal.

[0020] The coordinated operation of the front pulling section 135 and the rear pulling section 137 offsets the load of the walking assistance device 120 so that it does not become a burden on the affected leg, and further assists the swinging motion of the affected leg according to the set degree.

[0021] One end of the front wire 134 is connected to a winding mechanism of the front pulling unit 135, and the other end is connected to the walking assist device 120. The winding mechanism of the front pulling unit 135 turns on and off a motor (not shown), thereby winding or unwinding the front wire 134 in response to the movement of the affected leg. Similarly, one end of the rear wire 136 is connected to a winding mechanism of the rear pulling unit 137, and the other end is connected to the walking assist device 120. The winding mechanism of the rear pulling unit 137 turns on and off a motor (not shown), thereby winding or unwinding the rear wire 136 in response to the movement of the affected leg. Such coordinated operation of the front pulling unit 135 and the rear pulling unit 137 offsets the load of the walking assist device 120 so that the load does not become a burden on the affected leg, and further assists the swinging motion of the affected leg according to the set degree.

[0022] For example, the training staff 901, as an operator, sets a high assist level for a trainee with severe paralysis. When the assist level is set high, the front pulling unit 135 winds up the front wire 134 with a relatively large force in accordance with the timing of the swing of the affected leg. As the training progresses and assistance is no longer necessary, the training staff 901 sets the assist level to the minimum. When the assist level is set to the minimum, the front pulling unit 135 winds up the front wire 134 with a force sufficient to cancel the weight of the walking assist device 120 in accordance with the timing of the swing of the affected leg.

[0023] The walking training device 100 further includes a fall prevention harness device constituted by an attachment 110 , a harness wire 111 , and a harness tensioning portion 112 .

[0024] The harness 110 is a belt that is wrapped around the abdomen of the trainee 900 and is fixed to the waist by, for example, a hook and loop fastener. The harness 110 includes a connecting hook 110a that connects one end of a harness wire 111 that is a hanging device, and can also be called a hanger belt. The trainee 900 wears the harness 110 so that the connecting hook 110a is located at the rear of the trainee.

[0025] One end of the harness wire 111 is connected to the connecting hook 110a of the harness 110, and the other end is connected to a winding mechanism of the harness tensioning unit 112. The winding mechanism of the harness tensioning unit 112 winds and unwinds the harness wire 111 by turning on and off a motor (not shown). With this configuration, when the trainee 900 is about to fall, the fall prevention harness device winds up the harness wire 111 in accordance with an instruction from the overall control unit 210 that detects the movement, and the harness 110 supports the upper body of the trainee 900, preventing the trainee 900 from falling.

[0026] The orthosis 110 includes a posture sensor 217 for detecting the posture of the trainee 900. The posture sensor 217 is, for example, a combination of a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor, and outputs the inclination angle of the abdomen on which the orthosis 110 is worn with respect to the direction of gravity.

[0027] The management monitor 139 is a display input device mainly used for monitoring and operation by the training staff 901, and is attached to the frame 130. The management monitor 139 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel, and a touch panel is provided on its surface. The management monitor 139 displays various menu items related to training settings, various parameter values ​​during training, training results, etc. In addition, an emergency stop button 232 is provided near the management monitor 139. When the training staff 901 presses the emergency stop button 232, the walking training device 100 is brought to an emergency stop.

[0028] The walking assist device 120 is attached to the affected leg of the trainee 900, and assists the trainee 900 in walking by reducing the load of extension and flexion on the knee joint of the affected leg. The walking assist device 120 transmits data on the leg movement obtained by walking training to the overall control unit 210, and drives the joint parts according to instructions from the overall control unit 210. The walking assist device 120 can also be connected via a wire or the like to a hip joint (a connection member having a rotating part) attached to the brace 110, which is part of the forward-transfer prevention harness device.

[0029] (Details of the walking aid device 120) 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration example of the walking assist device 120. The walking assist device 120 mainly includes a control unit 121 and a plurality of frames that support each part of the affected leg. The walking assist device 120 is also called a robotic leg.

[0030] The control unit 121 includes an assist control section 220 that controls the walking assist device 120, and also includes a motor (not shown) that generates a driving force to assist the extension and flexion of the knee joint. The frame that supports each part of the affected leg includes an upper leg frame 122 and a lower leg frame 123 rotatably connected to the upper leg frame 122. This frame also includes a foot frame 124 rotatably connected to the lower leg frame 123, a front connecting frame 127 for connecting the front wire 134, and a rear connecting frame 128 for connecting the rear wire 136.

[0031] The upper leg frame 122 and the lower leg frame 123 rotate relatively around the hinge axis Ha shown in the figure. The motor of the control unit 121 rotates according to instructions from the auxiliary control unit 220 to bias the upper leg frame 122 and the lower leg frame 123 to open or close relatively around the hinge axis Ha. The angle sensor 223 housed in the control unit 121 is, for example, a rotary encoder, and detects the angle formed by the upper leg frame 122 and the lower leg frame 123 around the hinge axis Ha. The lower leg frame 123 and the foot frame 124 rotate relatively around the hinge axis Hb shown in the figure. The angle range of the relative rotation is adjusted in advance by the adjustment mechanism 126.

[0032] The front connecting frame 127 extends in the left-right direction on the front side of the upper leg, and is provided so as to connect to the upper leg frame 122 at both ends. The front connecting frame 127 is provided with a connecting hook 127a for connecting the front wire 134 near the center in the left-right direction. The rear connecting frame 128 extends in the left-right direction on the rear side of the lower leg, and is provided with a connecting hook 128a for connecting the rear wire 136 near the center in the left-right direction.

[0033] The upper leg frame 122 includes an upper leg belt 129. The upper leg belt 129 is a belt that is integrally provided on the upper leg frame, and is wrapped around the upper leg of the affected leg to fix the upper leg frame 122 to the upper leg. This prevents the entire walking assist device 120 from slipping off relative to the leg of the trainee 900.

[0034] (System configuration example of walking training device 100) Next, an example of the system configuration of the walking training device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the walking training device 100.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 4, the system configuration of the walking training device 100 includes an overall control unit (control device) 210, a treadmill driving unit 211, an operation receiving unit 212, a display control unit 213, a tension driving unit 214, a harness driving unit 215, an image processing unit 216, a posture sensor 217, a handrail sensor 218, a load distribution sensor 222, a communication connection IF (interface) 219, and a walking assistance device 120.

[0036] The overall control unit 210 is, for example, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), and controls the entire device by executing a control program read from the system memory.

[0037] The treadmill driving unit 211 includes a motor that rotates the belt 1311 of the treadmill 131 and its driving circuit. The overall control unit 210 executes rotation control of the belt 1311 by sending a driving signal to the treadmill driving unit 211. The overall control unit 210 adjusts the rotation speed of the belt 1311 according to, for example, a walking speed set by the training staff 901. Alternatively, the overall control unit 210 adjusts the rotation speed of the belt 1311 according to the walking state of the trainee 900 determined from the detection result of the load distribution sensor 222.

[0038] The operation reception unit 212 receives input operations by the training staff 901 via operation buttons provided on the device, a touch panel superimposed on the management monitor 139, or an attached remote control. The operation signal received by the operation reception unit 212 is transmitted to the overall control unit 210. Based on the operation signal received by the operation reception unit 212, the overall control unit 210 can give instructions to switch the power on and off or to start training. In addition, numerical values ​​related to settings can be input and menu items can be selected. Note that the operation reception unit 212 is not limited to receiving input operations by the training staff 901, and can naturally also receive input operations by the trainee 900.

[0039] The display control unit 213 receives a display signal from the overall control unit 210, generates a display image, and displays it on the training monitor 138 or the management monitor 139. The display control unit 213 generates an image showing the progress of training or a real-time video captured by the camera 140 according to the display signal.

[0040] The tension drive unit 214 includes a motor and its drive circuit provided in the front tension unit 135 for pulling the front wire 134, and a motor and its drive circuit provided in the rear tension unit 137 for pulling the rear wire 136. The overall control unit 210 controls the winding of the front wire 134 and the winding of the rear wire 136 by sending a drive signal to the tension drive unit 214. The overall control unit 210 also controls the tension of each wire by controlling the drive torque of the motor, not limited to the winding operation. Furthermore, the overall control unit 210 identifies the timing at which the affected leg switches from a stance state to a swing state from the detection result of the load distribution sensor 222, for example, and assists the swinging motion of the affected leg by increasing or decreasing the tension of each wire in synchronization with that timing.

[0041] The harness drive unit 215 includes a motor and its drive circuit for pulling the harness wire 111, which are provided in the harness tension unit 112. The overall control unit 210 controls the winding of the harness wire 111 and the pulling force of the harness wire 111 by sending a drive signal to the harness drive unit 215. For example, when predicting a fall of the trainee 900, the overall control unit 210 winds up a certain amount of the harness wire 111 to prevent the trainee from falling.

[0042] The image processing unit 216 is connected to the camera 140 and can receive an image signal from the camera 140. The image processing unit 216 receives an image signal from the camera 140 according to instructions from the overall control unit 210, and generates image data by image processing the received image signal. The image processing unit 216 can also perform specific image analysis by performing image processing on the image signal received from the camera 140 according to instructions from the overall control unit 210. For example, the image processing unit 216 detects the position of the foot of the affected leg in contact with the treadmill 131 (the stance position) by image analysis. Specifically, for example, the image area near the tip of the foot frame 124 is extracted, and an identification marker drawn on the belt 1311 that overlaps with the tip is analyzed to calculate the stance position.

[0043] As described above, the posture sensor 217 detects the inclination angle of the abdomen of the trainee 900 with respect to the direction of gravity, and transmits a detection signal to the overall control unit 210. The overall control unit 210 calculates the posture of the trainee 900, specifically the inclination angle of the trunk, using the detection signal from the posture sensor 217. Note that the overall control unit 210 and the posture sensor 217 may be connected by wire or by short-range wireless communication.

[0044] The handrail sensor 218 detects the load applied to the handrail 130a. In other words, the load that the trainee 900 cannot support with both legs is applied to the handrail 130a. The handrail sensor 218 detects this load and transmits a detection signal to the overall control unit 210.

[0045] As described above, the load distribution sensor 222 detects the magnitude and distribution of the surface pressure (load) received from the soles of the trainee 900, and transmits a detection signal to the overall control unit 210. The overall control unit 210 receives and analyzes the detection signal to determine the walking state, estimate switching, and the like.

[0046] The overall control unit 210 also serves as a function execution unit that executes various calculations and controls related to control. The overall control unit 210 includes, for example, a walking evaluation unit 210a, an exercise determination unit 210b, a walking condition determination unit 210c, and a bending and extension control unit 210d.

[0047] The walking evaluation unit 210a uses data acquired from various sensors to evaluate whether or not the walking movement of the trainee 900 is abnormal. The training determination unit 210b determines the training result for a series of walking training based on, for example, the accumulated number of abnormal walks evaluated by the walking evaluation unit 210a.

[0048] The method and criteria for judging the training results may be set arbitrarily. For example, the training result may be determined by comparing the amount of movement of the paralyzed body part with a standard for each walking phase. The walking phase is a classification of one walking period (one walking cycle) for the affected leg (or healthy leg) into a stance phase in a stance state, a transition period from the stance phase to a swing phase in a swing state, a swing phase, and a transition period from the swing phase to the stance phase. The walking phase can be classified (determined) based on, for example, the detection result by the load distribution sensor 222. As described above, the walking cycle can be treated as one cycle consisting of a stance phase, a transition phase, a swing phase, and a transition phase, but it does not matter which period is defined as the start phase. In addition, the walking cycle can also be treated as one cycle consisting of, for example, a both-leg support state, a single-leg (affected leg) support state, a both-leg support state, and a single-leg (healthy leg) support state, and in this case, it does not matter which state is defined as the start state.

[0049] Furthermore, the gait cycle focusing on the right or left leg (healthy or affected leg) can be further subdivided. For example, the stance phase can be expressed by dividing it into an initial contact and four phases, and the swing phase into three phases. The initial contact refers to the moment when the observed foot touches the floor, and the four phases of the stance phase refer to the load response phase, mid-stance phase, end-stance phase, and pre-swing phase. The load response phase is the period from the initial contact to the moment when the opposite foot leaves the floor (opposite side take-off). The mid-stance phase is the period from the opposite side take-off to the moment when the heel of the observed foot leaves the floor (heel-off). The end-stance phase is the period from heel-off to the initial contact on the opposite side. The pre-swing phase is the period from the initial contact on the opposite side to the moment when the observed foot leaves the floor (take-off). The three phases of the swing phase refer to the early swing phase, mid-swing phase, and late swing phase. The early swing phase is the period from the end of the pre-swing phase (ground release) to when both feet cross (foot crossing). The mid-swing phase is the period from when the feet cross until the tibia becomes vertical (tibia vertical). The end-swing phase is the period from when the tibia becomes vertical until the next initial contact.

[0050] The walking state determination unit 210c determines the walking state of the trainee 900 based on the load distribution of each leg detected by the load distribution sensor 222. For example, when the load received from one leg of the trainee 900 detected by the load distribution sensor 222 changes from a state less than a first threshold to equal to or greater than the first threshold, the walking state determination unit 210c determines that the one leg has transitioned from a swing state to a stance state, and when the load changes from a state equal to or greater than a second threshold (first threshold>second threshold) to less than the second threshold, the walking state determination unit 210c determines that the one leg has transitioned from a stance state to a swing state. Similarly, the walking state discrimination unit 210c determines that the other leg has transitioned from a swing state to a stance state when the load received from the other leg of the trainee 900 detected by the load distribution sensor 222 changes from a state below a first threshold to the first threshold or more, and determines that the other leg has transitioned from a stance state to a swing state when the load changes from a state above a second threshold (first threshold>second threshold) to less than the second threshold. Note that the walking state discrimination unit 210c discriminates the walking state of not only the healthy leg but also the affected leg wearing the walking assist device 120. In this case, the walking state discrimination unit 210c discriminates the walking state taking into consideration the load of the walking assist device 120. The bending and extension control unit 210d controls the bending and extension of the affected leg by the walking assist device 120 based on the discrimination result of the walking state discrimination unit 210c.

[0051] The communication connection IF 219 is an interface connected to the overall control unit 210, and is an interface for giving commands to the walking assist device 120 attached to the affected leg of the trainee 900 and receiving sensor information.

[0052] The walking assist device 120 may include a communication connection IF 229 that is connected to the communication connection IF 219 by wire or wirelessly. The communication connection IF 229 is connected to an assist control unit 220 of the walking assist device 120. The communication connection IFs 219 and 229 are communication interfaces such as a wired LAN or a wireless LAN that conforms to a communication standard.

[0053] The walking assist device 120 may also include an assist control unit 220, a joint driving unit 221, and an angle sensor 223. The assist control unit 220 is, for example, an MPU, and controls the walking assist device 120 by executing a control program provided by the overall control unit 210. The assist control unit 220 also notifies the overall control unit 210 of the state of the walking assist device 120 via communication connection IFs 219 and 229. The assist control unit 220 also receives commands from the overall control unit 210 and controls the walking assist device 120, such as starting and stopping.

[0054] The joint driving section 221 includes a motor of the control unit 121 and its driving circuit. The auxiliary control section 220 sends a driving signal to the joint driving section 221 to assist the upper leg frame 122 and the lower leg frame 123 to open or close relatively around the hinge axis Ha. This action assists the extension and bending of the knee and prevents the knee from bending.

[0055] As described above, the angle sensor 223 detects the angle formed by the upper leg frame 122 and the lower leg frame 123 around the hinge axis Ha, and transmits a detection signal to the auxiliary control unit 220. The auxiliary control unit 220 receives this detection signal and calculates the opening angle of the knee joint.

[0056] Incidentally, in order to improve the reliability of the walking training device 100, it is necessary to evaluate the durability of the belt 1311 of the treadmill 131 and the detection accuracy of the load distribution sensor 222 built into the treadmill 131. As an evaluation method for the walking training device 100, for example, there is an evaluation method in which a person actually walks on the belt 1311 of the treadmill 131. However, such an evaluation method increases the evaluation time, for example, when it is desired to obtain an evaluation result after long-term use. In other words, such an evaluation method does not allow efficient evaluation.

[0057] Therefore, in this embodiment, the walking training device 100 is evaluated using an evaluation system 300 that can reproduce human walking. The evaluation system 300 can reproduce human walking using a dolly instead of an actual human walking, so that an accelerated test can be performed, and as a result, the walking training device 100 can be efficiently evaluated. The evaluation system 300 will be specifically described below.

[0058] Fig. 5 is a schematic top view of evaluation system 300. Fig. 6 is a schematic side view of evaluation system 300. Note that Figs. 5 and 6 also show a part of treadmill 131.

[0059] The evaluation system 300 includes at least a cart 310 , a weight 330 mounted on the cart 310 , and a fixing mechanism 320 that fixes the cart 310 onto the belt 1311 of the treadmill 131 .

[0060] The cart 310 is configured so as to be able to be placed on the belt 1311 of the treadmill 131. Specifically, the right side of the cart 310 is provided with a front wheel 311a, a rear wheel 311b, and an endless track 311 formed in a ring shape so as to surround the wheels. In addition, as will be described in detail later, a protruding portion 311c is formed so as to protrude locally from the surface of the endless track 311. On the left side of the cart 310, a front wheel 312a, a rear wheel 312b, and an endless track 312 formed in a ring shape so as to surround the wheels are provided. In addition, as will be described in detail later, a protruding portion 312c is formed so as to protrude locally from the surface of the endless track 312.

[0061] The cart 310 is provided with a cylindrical member 313 extending vertically upward from the center of the cart body. A rectangular parallelepiped fixing member 314 is attached to the cylindrical member 313. The fixing member 314 is fixed by the cylindrical member 313 so as to be located at a predetermined height (specifically, the same height as rod-shaped members 323, 324 described below). A weight 330 is attached to the tip of the cylindrical member 313. The weight of the weight 330 is adjustable and is adjusted, for example, together with the weight of the cart 310, to be the weight of the trainee 900 or a weight close to that weight.

[0062] The fixing mechanism 320 is for fixing the cart 310 onto the belt 1311 of the treadmill 131. Specifically, the fixing mechanism 320 includes at least support members 321, 322, support members 321a, 321b, support members 322a, 322b, and rod-shaped members 323, 324. It can be said that the cylindrical member 313 and the fixing member 314 installed on the cart 310 are also part of the fixing mechanism 320.

[0063] The support members 321 and 322 are, for example, plate-like members, and are fixed to the right and left side surfaces of the treadmill 131, respectively. The support members 321a and 321b are both rod-like members, and are supported (fixed) by the support member 321. Specifically, the support members 321a and 321b are formed so as to extend vertically upward from the upper surface of the support member 321 with a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction of the treadmill 131. The support members 322a and 322b are both rod-like members, and are supported (fixed) by the support member 322. Specifically, the support members 322a and 322b are formed so as to extend vertically upward from the upper surface of the support member 322 with a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction of the treadmill 131.

[0064] One end of the rod-shaped member 323 is supported (fixed) by the support member 321a, and the other end of the rod-shaped member 323 is supported (fixed) by the support member 322a. That is, the rod-shaped member 323 is disposed so as to extend in the left-right direction of the treadmill 131. One end of the rod-shaped member 324 is supported (fixed) by the support member 321b, and the other end of the rod-shaped member 324 is supported (fixed) by the support member 322b. That is, the rod-shaped member 324 is disposed so as to extend in the left-right direction of the treadmill 131 behind the rod-shaped member 323. Here, the rod-shaped members 323 and 324 are formed so as to sandwich the fixed member 314. The fixed member 314 only needs to be fixed by the rod-shaped members 323 and 324 so as not to move at least in the front-rear direction, and may be slidable in the left-right direction.

[0065] The fixing mechanism 320 is not limited to the above-mentioned structure, but may be modified as appropriate to any structure capable of fixing the cart 310 onto the belt 1311 of the treadmill 131.

[0066] When the belt 1311 rotates with the cart 310 fixed, the endless tracks 311 and 312 in contact with the belt 1311 also rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the belt 1311.

[0067] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the evaluation system 300. In FIG. 7, schematic bottom views of the endless tracks 311, 312 that rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the belt 1311 are shown in a time series. Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the endless track 311 has a protruding portion 311c formed so as to protrude locally from the surface of the endless track 311. The protruding portion 311c is, for example, made of a plurality of plate-like members attached to the surface of the endless track 311. The protruding portion 311c has, for example, a shape of the right sole of the trainee 900 or a shape corresponding thereto. In addition, the endless track 312 has a protruding portion 312c formed so as to protrude locally from the surface of the endless track 312. The protruding portion 312c is, for example, made of a plurality of plate-like members attached to the surface of the endless track 312. The protruding portion 312c has, for example, a shape of the left sole of the trainee 900 or a shape corresponding thereto. The extensions 311c and 312c are preferably made of the same material as shoes, such as rubber.

[0068] 7, first, at time t1, overhang 311c corresponding to the sole of the right foot is located in front of the contact surface of belt 1311 on the surface of endless track 311. Therefore, overhang 311c applies a load to the front right area of ​​belt 1311. At this time, overhang 312c corresponding to the sole of the left foot is not located on any of the contact surfaces of belt 1311 on the surface of endless track 312.

[0069] When the belt 1311 rotates from time t1 to time t2, the tracks 311, 312 also rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the belt 1311. As a result, the protrusion 311c corresponding to the right sole of the foot moves from the front of the contact surface of the belt 1311 to the rear of the contact surface of the track 311. Therefore, the load applied to the belt 1311 by the protrusion 311c moves from the front right region of the belt 1311 to the rear right region. Meanwhile, at time t2, a part of the protrusion 312c corresponding to the left sole of the foot begins to appear in front of the contact surface of the belt 1311 on the surface of the track 312.

[0070] When the belt 1311 further rotates from time t2 to time t3, the endless tracks 311, 312 also rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the belt 1311. As a result, the overhang 311c corresponding to the right sole of the foot moves from the rear of the contact surface of the belt 1311 on the surface of the endless track 311 to outside the contact surface. Therefore, the load applied to the belt 1311 by the overhang 311c moves from the rear right area of ​​the belt 1311 to outside the area of ​​the belt 1311. On the other hand, the overhang 312c corresponding to the left sole of the foot moves from outside the contact surface of the belt 1311 on the surface of the endless track 312 to in front of the contact surface. Therefore, the load applied to the belt 1311 by the overhang 312c moves from the outside of the area of ​​the belt 1311 to the front left area of ​​the belt 1311.

[0071] As the belt 1311 further rotates from time t3 to time t4, the tracks 311, 312 also rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the belt 1311. As a result, the protrusion 312c corresponding to the left sole of the foot moves from the front to the rear of the contact surface of the belt 1311 on the surface of the track 312. Therefore, the load applied to the belt 1311 by the protrusion 312c moves from the front left area of ​​the belt 1311 to the rear left area. Meanwhile, at time t4, a part of the protrusion 311c corresponding to the right sole begins to appear in front of the contact surface of the belt 1311 on the surface of the track 311.

[0072] After that, the actions from time t1 to time t4 are repeated. In this manner, the walking of the trainee 900 on the belt 1311 is reproduced.

[0073] The evaluation system 300 may further include an evaluation device that evaluates the detection accuracy of the load distribution sensor 222 from the detection result of the load distribution sensor 222 pressed by the protrusions 311c, 312c, and evaluates the degree of deterioration of the belt 1311 pressed by the protrusions 311c, 312c.

[0074] In this way, the evaluation system 300 according to this embodiment can reproduce human walking using the cart 310, making it possible to perform accelerated testing, and as a result, it is possible to efficiently evaluate the walking training device.

[0075] In the present embodiment, the walking assist device 120 is attached to the right leg, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the walking assist device 120 may be attached to the left leg, or the walking assist device 120 may be attached to each of the right leg and the left leg. Alternatively, the walking assist device 120 may not be attached to any leg.

[0076] Furthermore, in the present disclosure, a part or all of the processing in the walking training device 100 can be realized by causing a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to execute a computer program.

[0077] The above-mentioned program includes a set of instructions (or software code) for making the computer perform one or more functions described in the embodiment when the program is loaded into the computer. The program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, the computer-readable medium or the tangible storage medium includes random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray® disk or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device. The program may be transmitted on a transitory computer-readable medium or a communication medium. By way of example and not limitation, the transitory computer-readable medium or the communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagating signals. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 100 Walking training device 110 Orthotics 110a Connecting hook 111 Harness wire 112 Harness tension section 120 Walking aids 121 Control Unit 122 Upper leg frame 123 Lower Leg Frame 124 Foot Frame 126 Adjustment mechanism 127 Front connecting frame 127a Connecting hook 128 Rear connecting frame 128a Connecting hook 129 Thigh Belt 130 frames 130a Handrail 131 Treadmill 133 Control Panel 134 Front Wire 135 Front tension section 136 Rear Wire 137 Rear tension section 138 Training Monitor 139 Management Monitor 140 Camera 210 Overall Control Unit 210a Gait Assessment Section 210b Training Judgment Section 210c Walking state determination unit 210d Bending and stretching control section 211 Treadmill Drive Unit 212 Operation reception section 213 Display control unit 214 Tension drive unit 215 Harness drive unit 216 Image Processing Unit 217 Attitude Sensor 218 Handrail Sensor 219 Communication connection interface 220 Auxiliary Control Unit 221 Joint Drive Unit 222 Load distribution sensor 223 Angle Sensor 229 Communication connection interface 232 Emergency stop button 300 Rating System 310 Trolley 311 Endless track 311a Front wheel (wheel) 311b Rear wheel (wheel) 311c Overhang 312 endless track 312a Front wheel (wheel) 312b Rear wheel (wheel) 312c overhang 313 Cylindrical member 314 Fixing member 320 Fixing mechanism 321 Support member 321a Support member 321b Support member 322 Support member 322a Support member 322b Support member 323 Rod-shaped members 324 Rod-shaped members 900 Trainer 901 Training Staff 1311 Belt 1312 Pulley

Claims

[Claim 1] A treadmill and a load distribution sensor attached to the treadmill for detecting a distribution of load applied to the soles of the feet of a trainee standing on the belt of the treadmill; a control device that controls a belt of the treadmill based on the detection result by the load distribution sensor; An evaluation system for evaluating a walking training device, comprising: A cart that is configured to be installed on the belt of the treadmill and has a plurality of wheels and an endless track that is formed in an annular shape so as to surround the plurality of wheels and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the belt of the treadmill; A weight mounted on the carriage; A protruding portion formed to protrude locally from a surface of the endless track; A rating system having at least:

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