Walking training system, its control method, and control program

Abstract

To provide a walking training system capable of offering effective training to a trainee, a control method thereof and a control program.SOLUTION: A walking training device includes: an estimation unit which estimates a ground contact position of a sole of one leg attached with a robot leg with a belt on the basis of a position of a hip joint portion of one leg specified from a photographed image of a camera and a posture angle of a thigh part and a bending angle of a knee joint of the one leg detected by a sensor part; a walking state determination unit which determines the shift from a standing state to a swinging state of the one leg on the basis of a state of a change in a load received from one leg of a trainee during a walking training specified on the basis of an estimation result by the estimation unit or a load received from the other leg among the loads detected by a load distribution sensor; and a control unit which starts bending control for the swinging state of the one leg by the robot leg when the walking state determination unit determines that the one leg has shifted from the standing state to the swinging state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a walking training system, a control method thereof, and a control program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a walking training system including a dynamic balance ability evaluation device for evaluating the dynamic balance ability of a user based on the change over time of a predetermined body part due to the user's walking, and a treadmill for the user to perform walking training. This walking training system, for example, provides a pressure sensor on the belt of the treadmill and detects the force (ground reaction force) with which the user kicks the belt from the measured value of the pressure sensor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, as in the related art, with only the pressure sensor attached to the belt of the treadmill, it is impossible to accurately determine from which sole of which leg of the user (trainer) the load is received. Therefore, it is impossible to accurately detect the switching timing from the standing state to the swinging state of a specific leg of the user during walking training. That is, in the related art, it is impossible to accurately determine the walking state of the user. As a result, there is a problem in the related art that an effective walking training cannot be provided to the user.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and an object thereof is to provide a walking training system, a control method thereof, and a control program capable of providing an effective training to a trainer by improving the discrimination accuracy of the walking state of the trainer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A walking training system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a robotic leg attached to one leg of a trainee, a treadmill, a load distribution sensor attached to the treadmill for detecting the distribution of load received from the soles of the feet of the trainee who is standing on the belt of the treadmill, a camera positioned to at least capture images of the hip joint portion of one leg, a sensor unit attached to the robotic leg for detecting at least the posture angle of the thigh and the flexion angle of the knee joint of one leg, and the position of the hip joint portion of one leg identified from the image captured by the camera, and the detection results from the sensor unit, and the robot The system includes: an estimation unit that estimates the contact position of the sole of the foot of the leg to which the leg is attached with respect to the belt; a walking state determination unit that determines the switching of one leg from a stance state to a swing state based on the changes in the load received by the trainee from one leg or the other leg during walking training, which are identified based on the estimation result by the estimation unit from among the loads detected by the load distribution sensor; and a control unit that initiates flexion control of the one leg for the swing state by the robot leg when the walking state determination unit determines that one leg has switched from a stance state to a swing state. This walking training system can accurately determine the load received by the one leg from among the loads detected by the load distribution sensor by estimating the contact position of the sole of the foot of the trainee to which the robot leg is attached with respect to the belt based on the captured video from the camera and the detection results of the sensor unit, and can therefore accurately detect the timing of the switching of one leg from a stance state to a swing state. In other words, this walking training system can accurately determine the walking state of the trainee. As a result, this walking training system can provide trainees with effective walking training because it can flex and extend the robotic legs at the appropriate timing.

[0007] The estimation unit may determine the position of the hip joint portion of one leg from the skeletal information of the one leg extracted from the video footage captured by the camera.

[0008] A marker may be attached to the hip joint portion of one of the legs, and the estimation unit may determine the position of the hip joint portion of one of the legs from the position of the marker extracted from the image captured by the camera.

[0009] The walking state determination unit may determine that one leg has switched from a standing leg state to a swing leg state when the load received by one leg changes from a first predetermined load or more to less than the first predetermined load.

[0010] The walking state determination unit determines that one leg has switched from a standing position to a swing position when the load received from the other leg changes from less than a second predetermined load to a second predetermined load or more.

[0011] A control method for a walking training system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: detecting the distribution of load received from the soles of the feet of a trainee standing on the belt of the treadmill using a load distribution sensor attached to the treadmill; taking at least a picture of the hip joint portion of one leg to which a robotic leg is attached using a camera; detecting at least the posture angle of the thigh and the flexion angle of the knee joint of the one leg using a sensor attached to the robotic leg; and, based on the position of the hip joint portion of the one leg identified from the image captured by the camera and the detection result by the sensor, The control method for this walking training system includes the steps of: estimating the contact position of the sole of the foot of one of the legs to which the robot leg is attached with the belt; determining the transition of one of the legs from a stance state to a swing state based on the changes in the load received by the trainee during walking training, which is identified based on the estimation result in the estimation step, from among the loads detected by the load distribution sensor; and, if it is determined that one of the legs has transitioned from a stance state to a swing state, initiating flexion control of the one of the legs by the robot leg toward the swing state. This control method for the walking training system can accurately determine the load received by one of the legs from among the loads detected by the load distribution sensor by estimating the contact position of the sole of the foot of one of the trainee's legs to which the robot leg is attached with the belt based on the captured image from the camera and the detection results of the sensor unit, and therefore can accurately detect the timing of the transition of one of the legs from a stance state to a swing state. In other words, this control method for the walking training system can accurately determine the walking state of the trainee. As a result, the control method of this walking training system allows the robotic legs to bend and extend at the appropriate timing, thus providing trainees with effective walking training.

[0012] A control program according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the process of detecting the distribution of load received from the soles of the feet of a trainee standing on the belt of the treadmill using a load distribution sensor attached to the treadmill, the process of at least photographing the hip joint portion of one leg to which a robot leg is attached using a camera, the process of at least detecting the posture angle of the thigh and the flexion angle of the knee joint of the one leg using a sensor unit attached to the robot leg, and the position of the hip joint portion of the one leg identified from the image captured by the camera and the detection result by the sensor unit, and the robot leg The computer is instructed to perform the following steps: estimate the contact position of the sole of the foot of the leg to which the robot leg is attached to the belt; determine the transition of one leg from a stance state to a swing state based on the changes in the load received by the trainee during walking training, which is identified based on the estimation results in the estimation step, from the load detected by the load distribution sensor; and, if it is determined that one leg has transitioned from a stance state to a swing state, initiate flexion control of the one leg by the robot leg for the swing state. This control program estimates the contact position of the sole of the foot of the trainee to which the robot leg is attached to the belt based on the camera's captured image and the sensor's detection results, thereby accurately determining the load received by that leg from the load detected by the load distribution sensor. This allows for accurate detection of the timing of the transition of that leg from a stance state to a swing state. In other words, this control program can accurately determine the trainee's walking state. As a result, this control program can flex and extend the robot's legs at the appropriate timing, providing trainees with effective gait training. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a walking training system, a control method thereof, and a control program that can provide effective training to trainees by improving the accuracy of discriminating the walking state of the trainee. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is an overall conceptual diagram showing one example configuration of a walking training device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a portion of the treadmill installed in the walking training device shown. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing one example configuration of a walking assistance device (robot leg) provided in the walking training device shown. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of a walking training device. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of a method for estimating the contact position of the leg to which a walking assistance device is attached with the belt, using the walking training device shown. [Figure 6] This is a schematic plan view illustrating an example of a method for determining the load received from the leg to which the walking assistance device is attached, using the walking training device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 7] Figure 1 shows a timing chart illustrating an example of how to determine the walking state of a trainee using the walking training device. [Figure 8] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating another example of a method for determining the walking state of a trainee using the walking training device shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the invention claimed is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential as means of solving the problem. For clarity of explanation, the following descriptions and drawings have been omitted and simplified as appropriate. In each drawing, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations have been omitted where necessary.

[0016] <Embodiment 1> FIG. 1 is an overall conceptual diagram showing a configuration example of a walking training apparatus according to Embodiment 1. The walking training apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is a specific example of a rehabilitation support apparatus that supports the rehabilitation of a trainer (user) 900, and more particularly, a specific example of a walking training apparatus that supports walking training. The walking training apparatus 100 is an apparatus for a trainer 900 who is a hemiplegic patient with paralysis in one leg to perform walking training according to the guidance of a training staff 901. Here, the training staff 901 can be, for example, a therapist (physical therapist) or a doctor, and since it assists in guiding or assisting the training of the trainer, it can also be referred to as a training instructor, a training assistant, a training supporter, etc. The walking training apparatus 100 can also be referred to as a walking training system. In the following description, the vertical direction, the left-right direction, and the front-back direction are directions based on the orientation of the trainer 900.

[0017] The walking training apparatus 100 mainly includes a control panel 133 attached to a frame 130 that forms the overall skeleton, a treadmill 131 on which the trainer 900 walks, and a walking assistance device (robot leg) 120 worn on the affected leg, which is the paralyzed side leg of the trainer 900.

[0018] The treadmill 131 is a device that prompts the walking of the trainer 900. The trainer 900 who performs walking training gets on the belt 1311 and attempts a walking motion in accordance with the movement of the belt 1311. The training staff 901 can also perform a walking motion together while standing on the belt 1311 behind the trainer 900 as shown in FIG. 1, for example, but usually, it is preferable to be in a state where it is easy to assist the trainer 900, such as standing in a state of straddling the belt 1311.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a part of the treadmill 131. As shown in FIG. 2, the treadmill 131 includes at least a ring-shaped belt 1311, a pulley 1312, and a motor (not shown). Further, a load distribution sensor 222 is installed inside the belt 1311 (the lower side of the belt 1311 on the surface where the trainer 900 rides) so as not to be interlocked with the belt 1311. However, the load distribution sensor 222 may be provided on the upper side of the belt 1311 so as to be interlocked with the belt 1311.

[0020] The load distribution sensor 222 is composed of a plurality of sensors, and these plurality of sensors are arranged in a matrix on the lower side of the belt 1311 that supports the soles of the trainer 900. The load distribution sensor 222 can detect the magnitude and distribution of the surface pressure (load) received from the soles of the trainer 900 by using these plurality of sensors. 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. Based on the detection result of the load distribution sensor 222, the walking state of the trainer 900 (whether each leg is in a standing state or a swinging state, etc.) can be determined. Details of the method for determining the walking state of the trainer 900 based on the detection result of the load distribution sensor 222 will be described later.

[0021] In the treadmill 131, for example, the overall control unit 210 described later determines the walking state of the trainer 900 based on the detection result of the load distribution sensor 222, and rotates the pulley 1312 by using a motor (not shown) according to the walking state, thereby rotating (moving) the ring-shaped belt 1311. Thereby, the trainer 900 can perform walking training without protruding from the belt 1311.

[0022] The frame 130 is erected on the treadmill 131 installed on the floor and supports a control panel 133 that houses the overall control unit 210 that controls the motor and sensors, and a training monitor 138, such as an LCD panel, that displays the training progress to the trainee 900. The frame 130 also supports the front tension section 135 near the front of the trainee 900's head, the harness tension section 112 near the head, and the rear tension section 137 near the rear of the head. The frame 130 also includes a handrail 130a for the trainee 900 to grasp.

[0023] The handrails 130a are positioned on both the left and right sides of the trainee 900. Each handrail 130a is positioned parallel to the trainee 900's walking direction. The handrails 130a are adjustable in both vertical and horizontal positions. In other words, the handrails 130a can include a mechanism to change their height and width. Furthermore, the handrails 130a can be configured to change their inclination angle by adjusting their height to differ, for example, on the front and rear sides of the walking direction. For example, the handrails 130a can be given an inclination angle that gradually increases in height along the walking direction.

[0024] Furthermore, the handrail 130a is equipped 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 with electrodes arranged in a matrix. Alternatively, the handrail sensor 218 can be a 6-axis sensor that combines a 3-axis acceleration sensor (x, y, z) and a 3-axis gyroscope sensor (roll, pitch, yaw). However, the type and installation position of the handrail sensor 218 are not specified.

[0025] Camera 140 functions as an imaging unit for observing the entire body of trainee 900 (at least the hip joint area). Camera 140 is installed near the training monitor 138, facing the trainee. Camera 140 captures still images and videos of trainee 900 during training. Camera 140 includes a lens and image sensor set that provides a field of view sufficient to capture the entire body of trainee 900. The image sensor is, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor, which converts the optical image formed on the imaging plane into an image signal.

[0026] The coordinated action of the front tension section 135 and the rear tension section 137 offsets the load of the walking assistance device 120 so that it does not burden the affected leg, and further assists the swing motion of the affected leg according to the set degree.

[0027] The front wire 134 is connected at one end to the winding mechanism of the front tension section 135 and at the other end to the walking assistance device 120. The winding mechanism of the front tension section 135 winds up or unwinds the front wire 134 in accordance with the movement of the affected leg by turning a motor (not shown) on and off. Similarly, the rear wire 136 is connected at one end to the winding mechanism of the rear tension section 137 and at the other end to the walking assistance device 120. The winding mechanism of the rear tension section 137 winds up or unwinds the rear wire 136 in accordance with the movement of the affected leg by turning a motor (not shown) on and off. Through this coordinated operation of the front tension section 135 and the rear tension section 137, the load of the walking assistance device 120 is offset so that it does not become a burden on the affected leg, and furthermore, the swinging motion of the affected leg is assisted according to the set degree.

[0028] For example, training staff 901, acting as an operator, sets a higher level of assistance for trainees with severe paralysis. When the assistance level is set high, the front tension unit 135 retracts the front wire 134 with a relatively large force in time with the swing of the affected leg. As training progresses and assistance is no longer needed, training staff 901 sets the assistance level to the minimum. When the assistance level is set to the minimum, the front tension unit 135 retracts the front wire 134 with just enough force to cancel out the weight of the walking assistance device 120 in time with the swing of the affected leg.

[0029] The walking training device 100 further includes a fall prevention harness device composed of an orthosis 110, a harness wire 111, and a harness tensioning section 112.

[0030] The brace 110 is a belt that is wrapped around the abdomen of the trainee 900 and is secured to the waist, for example, by a hook-and-loop fastener. The brace 110 is equipped with a connecting hook 110a that connects to one end of a harness wire 111, which is a suspension device, and can also be called a hanger belt. The trainee 900 wears the brace 110 so that the connecting hook 110a is positioned on their back.

[0031] The harness wire 111 has one end connected to the connecting hook 110a of the brace 110, and the other end connected to the winding mechanism of the harness tension section 112. The winding mechanism of the harness tension section 112 winds up or unwinds the harness wire 111 by turning a motor (not shown) on and off. With this configuration, when the trainee 900 is about to fall, the fall prevention harness device winds up the harness wire 111 according to the instructions of the overall control unit 210 which detects the movement, and the brace 110 supports the trainee 900's upper body, preventing the trainee 900 from falling.

[0032] 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 gyroscope and an accelerometer, and outputs the tilt angle of the abdomen on which the orthosis 110 is attached relative to the direction of gravity.

[0033] The management monitor 139 is a display input device primarily for monitoring and operating by the training staff 901, and is mounted on the frame 130. The management monitor 139 is, for example, an LCD panel with a touch panel on its surface. The management monitor 139 displays various menu items related to training settings, various parameter values ​​during training, and training results. An emergency stop button 232 is also provided near the management monitor 139. When the training staff 901 presses the emergency stop button 232, the walking training device 100 comes to an emergency stop.

[0034] The walking assistance 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 at the knee joint of the affected leg. The walking assistance device 120 transmits data on leg movement obtained through walking training to the overall control unit 210 and drives the joint parts according to instructions from the overall control unit 210. The walking assistance device 120 can also be connected via wires or the like to a hip joint (connecting member with a rotating part) attached to an orthosis 110, which is part of the transfer prevention harness device.

[0035] (Details of walking assistance device 120) Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing one example configuration of the walking assistance device 120. The walking assistance device 120 mainly comprises a control unit 121 and multiple frames that support various parts of the affected leg. The walking assistance device 120 is also referred to as a robotic leg.

[0036] The control unit 121 includes an auxiliary control unit 220 that controls the walking assistance device 120, and also includes a motor (not shown) that generates driving force to assist the extension and flexion movements 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 that is rotatably connected to the upper leg frame 122. This frame also includes a foot frame 124 that is 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.

[0037] The upper leg frame 122 and the lower leg frame 123 rotate relative to each other around the hinge axis Ha shown in the figure. The motor of the control unit 121 rotates according to the instructions of the auxiliary control unit 220 to assist in the upper leg frame 122 and the lower leg frame 123 to open or close relative to each other around the hinge axis Ha.

[0038] The angle sensor 223 includes, for example, a posture angle sensor 223a and a knee angle sensor 223b. The posture angle sensor 223a is attached to the thigh of the trainee 900 and detects the posture angle (roll, pitch, yaw angle, etc.) of the thigh. The knee angle sensor 223b is, for example, a rotary encoder and detects the angle (θ) between 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 relative to each other around the hinge axis Hb shown in the figure. The relative rotation angle range is pre-adjusted by the adjustment mechanism 126. Note that the angle sensor 223 may further include, for example, a sensor that detects the angle of the ankle joint, in addition to the posture angle sensor 223a and the knee angle sensor 223b.

[0039] The front connecting frame 127 extends laterally along the front of the upper leg and is provided to connect to the upper leg frame 122 at both ends. The front connecting frame 127 also has a connecting hook 127a for connecting the front wire 134, located near the center in the left-right direction. The rear connecting frame 128 extends laterally along the rear of the lower leg and is provided to connect to the lower leg frame 123, which extends vertically at both ends. The rear connecting frame 128 also has a connecting hook 128a for connecting the rear wire 136, located near the center in the left-right direction.

[0040] The upper leg frame 122 is equipped with an upper leg belt 129. The upper leg belt 129 is a belt integrally attached to the upper leg frame and is wrapped around the upper leg of the affected leg to secure the upper leg frame 122 to the upper leg. This prevents the entire walking assistance device 120 from shifting relative to the trainee's leg.

[0041] (Example of system configuration for gait training device 100) Next, we will explain an example of the system configuration of the gait training device 100 using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the walking training device 100.

[0042] As shown in Figure 4, the system configuration of the walking training device 100 includes an overall control unit 210, a treadmill drive unit 211, an operation reception unit 212, a display control unit 213, a tension drive unit 214, a harness drive 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.

[0043] The overall control unit 210 is, for example, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), which controls the entire device by executing a control program read from the system memory.

[0044] The treadmill drive unit 211 includes a motor and its drive circuit for rotating the belt 1311 of the treadmill 131. The overall control unit 210 controls the rotation of the belt 1311 by sending a drive signal to the treadmill drive unit 211. The overall control unit 210 adjusts the rotation speed of the belt 1311 according to the walking speed set by the training staff 901, for example. 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 results of the load distribution sensor 222.

[0045] The operation reception unit 212 receives input operations from 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 signals received by the operation reception unit 212 are transmitted to the overall control unit 210. Based on the operation signals received by the operation reception unit 212, the overall control unit 210 can issue instructions to switch the power on or off, or to start training. It can also input numerical values ​​related to settings and select menu items. The operation reception unit 212 is not limited to receiving input operations from the training staff 901, but can also, of course, receive input operations from the trainee 900.

[0046] 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 images showing the progress of training or real-time video captured by the camera 140 according to the display signal.

[0047] The tension drive unit 214 includes a motor and its drive circuit provided in the front tension section 135 for pulling the front wire 134, and a motor and its drive circuit provided in the rear tension section 137 for pulling the rear wire 136. The overall control unit 210 controls the winding of the front wire 134 and the rear wire 136, respectively, by sending drive signals to the tension drive unit 214. In addition, the overall control unit 210 controls the tension force of each wire by controlling the drive torque of the motor, not limited to the winding operation. Furthermore, the overall control unit 210, for example, identifies the timing when the affected leg switches from the stance state to the swing state from the detection result of the load distribution sensor 222, and assists the swing motion of the affected leg by increasing or decreasing the tension force of each wire in synchronization with that timing.

[0048] 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 tension of the harness wire 111 by sending a drive signal to the harness drive unit 215. For example, if the overall control unit 210 predicts that the trainee 900 will fall, it winds up a certain amount of the harness wire 111 to prevent the trainee from falling.

[0049] The image processing unit 216 is connected to the camera 140 and can receive image signals from the camera 140. The image processing unit 216 receives image signals from the camera 140 according to instructions from the overall control unit 210, processes the received image signals, and generates image data. The image processing unit 216 can also perform specific image analysis by applying image processing to the image signals 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 affected leg's foot (stance position) in contact with the treadmill 131 through image analysis. Specifically, for example, it extracts an image region near the tip of the foot frame 124 and calculates the stance position by analyzing an identification marker drawn on the belt 1311 that overlaps with the tip.

[0050] As described above, the posture sensor 217 detects the tilt angle of the trainee 900's abdomen relative to the direction of gravity and transmits the detection signal to the overall control unit 210. The overall control unit 210 uses the detection signal from the posture sensor 217 to calculate the trainee 900's posture, specifically the tilt angle of the torso. The overall control unit 210 and the posture sensor 217 may be connected by a wire or by short-range wireless communication.

[0051] The handrail sensor 218 detects the load applied to the handrail 130a. In other words, the load applied to the handrail 130a is the amount of weight that the trainee 900 cannot support with both legs. The handrail sensor 218 detects this load and transmits a detection signal to the overall control unit 210.

[0052] As described above, the load distribution sensor 222 detects the magnitude and distribution of surface pressure (load) received from the soles of the trainee's feet 900 and transmits the detection signal to the overall control unit 210. The overall control unit 210 receives and analyzes the detection signal to perform tasks such as determining the walking state and estimating changes in walking.

[0053] The overall control unit 210 also serves as a function execution unit that performs various calculations and controls related to control. The overall control unit 210 includes, for example, a gait evaluation unit 210a, a training determination unit 210b, an estimation unit 210c, a gait state determination unit 210d, and a flexion / extension control unit 210e. The estimation unit 210c, the gait state determination unit 210d, and the flexion / extension control unit 210e will be described later.

[0054] The gait evaluation unit 210a uses data acquired from various sensors to evaluate whether the trainee 900's gait is abnormal. The training determination unit 210b determines the training result for a series of gait training sessions, for example, based on the cumulative number of abnormal gaits evaluated by the gait evaluation unit 210a.

[0055] Furthermore, the method and criteria for determining the training results may be set arbitrarily. For example, the training results may be determined by comparing the amount of movement of the paralyzed part with a standard for each walking phase. A walking phase is a classification of one walking cycle (one gait cycle) for the affected leg (or healthy leg) into the stance phase, the transition phase from the stance phase to the swing phase, the swing phase, and the transition phase from the swing phase to the stance phase. Which walking phase it is can be classified (determined) from, for example, the detection results by the load distribution sensor 222. As mentioned above, a walking cycle can be treated as one cycle consisting of the stance phase, transition phase, swing phase, and transition phase, but it is not specified which period is defined as the start phase. In addition, a walking cycle can also be treated as one cycle consisting of, for example, a double-leg support state, a single-leg (affected leg) support state, a double-leg support state, and a single-leg (healthy leg) support state, and in this case as well, it is not specified which state is defined as the start state.

[0056] 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 divided into initial contact and four phases, and the swing phase into three phases. Initial contact refers to the moment the observed foot makes contact with the floor. The four phases of the stance phase refer to the loading response phase, mid-stance phase, terminal stance phase, and pre-swing phase. The loading response phase is the period from initial contact to the moment the opposite foot leaves the floor (contralateral lift-off). Mid-stance phase is the period from contralateral lift-off to the moment the heel of the observed foot leaves the floor (heel-off). Terminal stance phase is the period from heel-off to initial contact with the opposite leg. Pre-swing phase is the period from initial contact with the opposite leg to the moment the observed foot leaves the floor (lift-off). The three phases of the swing phase refer to the early swing phase, mid-swing phase, and late swing phase. The initial swing phase is the period from the end of the pre-swing phase (lift-off as described above) until both feet cross (foot crossing). The mid-swing phase is the period from foot crossing until the tibia becomes vertical (tibia vertical). The terminal swing phase is the period from tibia vertical until the next initial contact with the ground.

[0057] The communication connection IF219 is an interface connected to the overall control unit 210, and is used to give commands to the walking assistance device 120 attached to the affected leg of the trainee 900 and to receive sensor information.

[0058] The walking assistance device 120 may be equipped with a communication connection IF219 and a communication connection IF229 connected by wire or wireless. The communication connection IF229 is connected to the auxiliary control unit 220 of the walking assistance device 120. The communication connections IF219 and 229 are communication interfaces such as wired LAN or wireless LAN that conform to communication standards.

[0059] The walking assistance device 120 may also include an auxiliary control unit 220, a joint drive unit 221, and an angle sensor 223. The auxiliary control unit 220 is, for example, an MPU and controls the walking assistance device 120 by executing a control program provided by the overall control unit 210. The auxiliary control unit 220 also notifies the overall control unit 210 of the status of the walking assistance device 120 via communication connection IFs 219 and 229. The auxiliary control unit 220 also receives commands from the overall control unit 210 and performs controls such as starting and stopping the walking assistance device 120.

[0060] The joint drive unit 221 includes the motor of the control unit 121 and its drive circuit. The auxiliary control unit 220 sends a drive signal to the joint drive unit 221, thereby assisting the upper leg frame 122 and the lower leg frame 123 in opening or closing relative to each other around the hinge axis Ha. This action assists in knee extension and flexion movements and prevents knee buckling.

[0061] As described above, the angle sensor 223 includes a posture angle sensor 223a and a knee angle sensor 223b. The posture angle sensor 223a is attached to the thigh of the trainee 900 and detects the posture angle (roll, pitch, yaw angle, etc.) of the thigh, and transmits a detection signal to the auxiliary control unit 220. The knee angle sensor 223b detects the angle (θ) 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 these detection signals and calculates the opening angle of the knee joint.

[0062] Here, if we were to attempt to determine the walking state of the trainee 900 based solely on the detection results of the load distribution sensor 222 attached to the treadmill 131, as in the case of related technologies, it would be impossible to accurately determine which leg's sole the load detected by the load distribution sensor 222 is coming from. Therefore, it would be impossible to accurately detect the timing of the switch from the stance phase to the swing phase of the leg equipped with the walking assistance device (robot leg) 120. In other words, it would be impossible to accurately determine the walking state of the trainee 900. As a result, the trainee 900 would be unable to perform effective walking training.

[0063] In this embodiment, the estimation unit 210c estimates the contact position of the sole of the foot of the leg (affected leg) wearing the walking assistance device 120 with the belt 1311 based on the analysis results of the video captured by the camera 140 and the detection results of the angle sensor 223. In this embodiment, the walking state determination unit 210d determines the switch from the stance leg to the swing leg of the leg wearing the walking assistance device 120 based on the changes in the load received from the leg wearing the walking assistance device 120 (or the other leg), which is identified from the load detected by the load distribution sensor 222 based on the estimation results of the estimation unit 210c. In this embodiment, when the walking state determination unit 210d determines that the leg wearing the walking assistance device 120 has switched from the stance leg to the swing leg, the flexion and extension control unit 210e starts flexion control for the swing leg by the walking assistance device 120.

[0064] As a result, the walking training device 100 according to this embodiment can accurately determine the load received from the leg equipped with the walking assistance device 120 among the loads detected by the load distribution sensor 222, and can accurately detect the timing of the transition from the stance leg to the swing leg of the leg equipped with the walking assistance device 120. In other words, the walking training device 100 according to this embodiment can accurately determine the walking state of the trainee 900. As a result, the walking training device 100 according to this embodiment can flex and extend the walking assistance device 120 at the appropriate timing, and can provide effective walking training to the trainee 900.

[0065] (An example of a method for estimating the contact position of the belt on the affected leg and a method for determining the load received by the affected leg) Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of a method for estimating the contact position of the leg (affected leg) to which the walking assistance device 120 is attached with the belt 1311. Figure 6 is a schematic plan view illustrating an example of a method for determining the load received by the leg (affected leg) to which the walking assistance device 120 is attached. In the examples of Figures 5 and 6, the case where the right leg is the affected leg to which the walking assistance device 120 is attached and the left leg is the healthy leg is described.

[0066] Referring to Figure 5, the estimation unit 210c extracts skeletal information of the right leg (affected leg) from the video footage captured by the camera 140, and identifies the position of the hip joint portion P1 of the right leg from the extracted skeletal information. The estimation unit 210c may also identify the positions of other joints, such as the knee joint, from the skeletal information of the right leg (affected leg) extracted from the video footage captured by the camera 140. The estimation unit 210c then estimates the contact position (predicted contact position) P2 of the sole of the right foot (e.g., the heel portion) on the belt 1311 based on the position of the hip joint portion P1 identified from the video footage captured by the camera 140, the posture angle of the thigh detected by the posture angle sensor 223a, and the knee joint flexion angle (θ) detected by the knee angle sensor 223b. When estimating the contact position P2 of the sole of the right foot on the belt 1311, the estimation unit 210c may also refer to the ankle joint flexion angle, etc., in addition to the information described above. Here, by pre-registering the shape of the sole of the trainee 900's foot, or by pre-registering a predetermined shape or area, it is possible to estimate the contact surface (expected contact surface) E1 of the sole of the right foot.

[0067] Furthermore, the estimation unit 210c is not limited to identifying the position of the hip joint portion P1 of the right leg from the skeletal information of the right leg (affected leg) extracted from the video footage of the camera 140. For example, if a marker is attached to the hip joint portion P1 of the right leg, the estimation unit 210c may extract the marker from the video footage of the camera 140 and identify the position of the hip joint portion P1 of the right leg from the position of the extracted marker. Furthermore, if markers are attached to other joint portions in addition to the hip joint portion P1 of the right leg, the estimation unit 210c may identify the positions of multiple joint portions, including the hip joint portion P1 of the right leg, from the positions of multiple markers extracted from the video footage of the camera 140.

[0068] As a result, as shown in Figure 6, the walking state determination unit 210d can identify that among the loads FL and FR detected by the load distribution sensor 222, the load FR that overlaps with the contact surface E1 of the sole of the right leg (affected leg) estimated by the estimation unit 210c is the load received from that right leg.

[0069] (An example of a method for determining the walking condition of 900 trainees) Figure 7 is a timing chart showing an example of how the walking state of a trainee 900 is determined by the walking training device 100. In the example in Figure 7, the right leg is the affected leg wearing the walking assistance device 120, and the left leg is the healthy leg. Furthermore, in the example in Figure 7, the detection of the timing of the transition from the stance phase to the swing phase of the affected right leg is mainly explained.

[0070] Referring to Figure 7, the gait state determination unit 210d determines that the right leg has switched from the stance phase to the swing phase when the load value of the right leg (affected leg) detected by the load distribution sensor 222 changes from above threshold D1 to below threshold D1 (times t11, t12, t13). Then, when the gait state determination unit 210d determines that the right leg has switched from the stance phase to the swing phase, the flexion and extension control unit 210e starts flexion control for the swing phase using the walking assistance device 120 attached to the right leg.

[0071] The threshold D1 can be set to any load value for each trainee 900. For example, the threshold D1 can be set to a predetermined load value by the trainee 900 or training staff 901. Specifically, the threshold D1 can be set to a load value of approximately 1 kg. Alternatively, the threshold D1 may be set to a load value that is a predetermined percentage of the maximum load received from the affected leg (the load received from the affected leg when standing on only that leg). Specifically, the threshold D1 can be set to a load value of approximately 10% of the maximum load received from the affected leg.

[0072] Alternatively, the threshold D1 may be set to a load value that is a predetermined percentage of the total load received from both legs. In this case, the walking state determination unit 210d determines, for example, that the right leg, which is the affected leg, has switched from the stance phase to the swing phase when the load received from the right leg, which is the affected leg, changes from above a predetermined percentage of the total load received from both legs to below a predetermined percentage.

[0073] (Another example of a method for determining the walking status of 900 trainees) Figure 8 is a timing chart showing another example of how the walking state of a trainee 900 is determined by the walking training device 100. The example in Figure 8 describes the case where the right leg is the affected leg wearing the walking assistance device 120, and the left leg is the healthy leg. Furthermore, the example in Figure 8 mainly describes the detection of the timing of the transition from the stance phase to the swing phase of the affected right leg.

[0074] Referring to Figure 8, the gait state determination unit 210d determines that the right leg (affected leg) has switched from the stance phase to the swing phase when the load value of the left leg (healthy leg) detected by the load distribution sensor 222 changes from less than threshold D2 to greater than threshold D2 (times t21, t22, t23). Then, when the gait state determination unit 210d determines that the right leg (affected leg) has switched from the stance phase to the swing phase, the flexion and extension control unit 210e starts flexion control for the swing phase using the gait assist device 120 attached to the right leg.

[0075] The threshold D2 can be set to any load value for each trainee 900. For example, the threshold D2 can be set to a predetermined load value by the trainee 900 or training staff 901. Specifically, the threshold D2 can be set to a load value of approximately 5 kg. Alternatively, the threshold D2 may be set to a load value that is a predetermined percentage of the maximum load received from the affected leg (the load received from the affected leg when standing on only that leg). Specifically, the threshold D2 can be set to a load value of approximately 60% of the maximum load received from the affected leg.

[0076] Alternatively, the threshold D2 may be set to a load value that is a predetermined percentage of the total load received from both legs. In this case, the walking state determination unit 210d determines, for example, that the right leg, which is the affected leg, has switched from the stance phase to the swing phase when the load received from the left leg, which is the healthy leg, changes from less than a predetermined percentage of the total load received from both legs to more than a predetermined percentage.

[0077] As described above, the gait training device 100 according to this embodiment estimates the contact position of the sole of the foot of the leg (affected leg) wearing the gait assist device 120 with the belt 1311 based on the analysis results of the video footage captured by the camera 140 and the detection results of the angle sensor 223. As a result, the gait training device 100 according to this embodiment can accurately determine the load received from the leg wearing the gait assist device 120 (or the opposite leg) among the loads detected by the load distribution sensor 222, and can accurately detect the timing of the switch from the stance leg to the swing leg of the leg wearing the gait assist device 120. In other words, the gait training device 100 according to this embodiment can accurately determine the gait state of the trainee 900. As a result, the gait training device 100 according to this embodiment can flex and extend the gait assist device 120 at the appropriate timing, and can provide effective gait training to the trainee 900.

[0078] In this embodiment, the case in which the walking assistance device 120 is attached to the right leg has been described as an example, but it is not limited to this. For example, the walking assistance device 120 may be attached to the left leg. In this case, the walking training device 100 determines that the left leg has switched from the stance leg to the swing leg leg when, for example, the load value of the left leg detected by the load distribution sensor 222 changes from above a predetermined threshold D3 to below the threshold D3 (or when the load value of the right leg changes from below a predetermined threshold D4 to above the threshold D4), and starts flexion control for the swing leg leg by the walking assistance device 120 attached to the left leg. Alternatively, the walking assistance devices 120 may be attached to the right leg and the left leg separately.

[0079] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes the case where the transition from the stance state to the swing state of one leg to which the walking assistance device 120 is attached is detected, it is also possible to detect the transition from the stance state to the swing state of the other leg to which the walking assistance device 120 is not attached. This makes it possible to determine the walking state of the trainee 900 more accurately.

[0080] Furthermore, this disclosure can be realized by having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) execute a computer program to perform some or all of the processing in the gait training device 100.

[0081] The program described above, when loaded into a computer, includes a set of instructions (or software code) for causing the computer to perform one or more of the functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored on a non-temporary computer-readable medium or a physical storage medium. Examples, but not limited to, include random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray® disc or other optical disc storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices. The program may be transmitted over a temporary computer-readable medium or a communication medium. Examples, but not limited to, include temporary computer-readable medium or a communication medium that includes electrically, optically, acoustically, or otherwise propagating signals. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 100 Walking Training Devices 110 Orthotics 110a Connecting hook 111 Harness Wire 112 Harness tension section 120 Walking assistance devices 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 Upper leg belt 130 frames 130a Handrail 131 Treadmills 133 Control Panel 134 Front wire 135 Front tension section 136 Rear wire 137 Rear tensile section 138 Training Monitors 139 Management Monitor 140 Cameras 210 Overall Control Unit 210a Walking evaluation unit 210b Training Judgment Section 210c Estimation part 210d Walking state determination unit 210e Flexion and Extension Control Unit 211 Treadmill drive unit 212 Operation Reception Section 213 Display Control Unit 214 Tensile drive unit 215 Harness drive unit 216 Image Processing Unit 217 Posture Recovery 218 Handrail Sensor 219 Communication Connection Interface 220 Auxiliary Control Unit 221 Joint drive unit 222 Load distribution sensor 223 Angle sensor (sensor unit) 223a Attitude angle sensor 223b Knee Angle Sensor 229 Communication Connection IF 232 Emergency Stop Button 900 Trainee 901 Training Staff 1311 Belt 1312 Pulley

Claims

1. A robotic leg attached to one of the trainee's legs, Treadmill and A load distribution sensor attached to the treadmill detects the distribution of load received from the soles of the feet of the trainee who is standing on the belt of the treadmill, A camera is installed so as to be able to photograph at least the hip joint portion of one of the aforementioned legs, A sensor unit attached to the robot leg, which at least detects the posture angle of the thigh and the flexion angle of the knee joint of one of the legs, An estimation unit estimates the contact position of the sole of the foot of the leg to which the robot leg is attached with the belt, based on the position of the hip joint portion of the one leg identified from the image captured by the camera and the detection result by the sensor unit. A walking state determination unit determines the transition of one leg from a stance state to a swing state based on the changes in the load received by the trainee on one leg or the other leg during walking training, which are identified based on the estimation results by the estimation unit from the load detected by the load distribution sensor. When the walking state determination unit determines that one of the legs has switched from a standing position to a swing position, the control unit initiates flexion control of the robot leg for the swing position of the one leg. A walking training system equipped with this system.

2. The estimation unit identifies the position of the hip joint portion of one leg from the skeletal information of the one leg extracted from the image captured by the camera. The walking training system according to claim 1.

3. A marker is attached to the hip joint portion of one of the aforementioned legs. The estimation unit determines the position of the hip joint portion of one leg from the position of the marker extracted from the image captured by the camera. The walking training system according to claim 1.

4. The walking state determination unit determines that when the load received by one leg changes from a first predetermined load or more to less than the first predetermined load, the one leg has switched from a standing leg state to a swing leg state. The walking training system according to claim 1.

5. The walking state determination unit determines that one leg has switched from a standing position to a swing position when the load received from the other leg changes from less than a second predetermined load to a second predetermined load or more. The walking training system according to claim 1.

6. A computer, A step of detecting the distribution of load received from the soles of the feet of a trainee standing on the belt of the treadmill using a load distribution sensor attached to the treadmill, The steps include using a camera to photograph at least the hip joint portion of one of the legs to which the robotic leg is attached, The steps include: detecting at least the posture angle of the thigh and the flexion angle of the knee joint of one of the legs using a sensor attached to the robot leg; A step of estimating the contact position of the sole of the foot of the leg to which the robot leg is attached with the belt, based on the position of the hip joint portion of the one leg identified from the image captured by the camera and the detection result by the sensor unit, A step of determining the transition of one leg from a stance position to a swing position based on the changes in the load received by the trainee on one leg or the other leg during walking training, which are identified based on the estimation results in the estimation step, among the loads detected by the load distribution sensor, When it is determined that one of the legs has switched from a standing position to a swing position, the robot leg initiates flexion control of the one leg toward the swing position. A method for controlling a walking training system to perform this task.

7. A process to detect the distribution of load received from the soles of the feet of a trainee standing on the belt of the treadmill using a load distribution sensor attached to the treadmill, The process involves using a camera to capture at least the hip joint portion of one of the legs to which the robotic leg is attached, Using a sensor attached to the robot leg, the process includes detecting at least the posture angle of the thigh and the flexion angle of the knee joint of one of the legs. A process to estimate the contact position of the sole of the foot of the leg to which the robot leg is attached with the belt, based on the position of the hip joint portion of the one leg identified from the image captured by the camera and the detection result by the sensor unit, A process to determine when one leg switches from a stance position to a swing position, based on the changes in the load received by one leg or the other leg of the trainee during walking training, which are identified based on the estimation results in the estimation process, among the loads detected by the load distribution sensor. When it is determined that one of the legs has switched from a standing position to a free-swinging position, the process of initiating flexion control of the one leg by the robot leg for the free-swinging position is performed. A control program that instructs a computer to execute a command.

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