Body Weight Unloading Device With Bilateral Force Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional body weight unloading apparatuses struggle to independently and dynamically change unloading forces on the user's left and right legs during walking, leading to irregularities in cyclic gait and bilateral asymmetrical movement, which exacerbates skeletal and muscular asymmetry in individuals with gait impairments.
Innovation Solution
A body weight unloading apparatus with separate actuators for each leg, controlled by a sensor measuring floor reaction forces to dynamically adjust unloading forces based on the imbalance between legs, allowing independent and dynamic control of forces on each leg.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single actuator is used to support the user's body weight, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot independently and dynamically change unloading forces on the left and right legs during walking
Solution Approach 1:
The single actuator system is segmented into multiple actuators (first actuator for left leg, second actuator for right leg), allowing independent control of unloading forces on each leg while maintaining structural organization through separate support members for each leg
2Ease of operation
If conventional body weight unloading apparatuses are used, then the device is easy to operate, but bilateral asymmetrical movement occurs which exacerbates skeletal and muscular asymmetry
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different unloading forces to the left and right legs based on individual floor reaction force measurements, allowing asymmetric intervention to correct gait asymmetry while maintaining overall system simplicity through automated sensor-based control
3Adaptability or versatility
If independent actuators for each leg are implemented, then dynamic adjustment of unloading forces is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to measure floor reaction forces on each leg and feeds this information back to the control device, which automatically adjusts the unloading forces provided by the first and second actuators, reducing the perceived complexity through automated closed-loop control
Data Source
AI summary
A body weight unloading apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a first actuator, a second actuator, a first support member, a second support member, a sensor for measuring the imbalance between floor reaction forces respectively acting on the legs of a user, and a control device for controlling operations of the actuators. One end of the support members is respectively connected to the actuators, and the other end of the support members is fitted to the user such that unloading forces that are supplied by the actuators respectively act on the legs of the user. The control device controls the actuators so as to respectively generate unloading forces determined according to the imbalance between the floor reaction forces.