Transformable Robot Arm for Multi-User Mobility Assistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing movement assistance robots are limited in their ability to accommodate users with different physical abilities, requiring multiple types of robots to cater to varying needs.
Innovation Solution
A movement assistance robot with a transformable robot arm unit and holding unit that can adapt to multiple movement postures, allowing a single robot to support various physical abilities through selective operation and transformation control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single type of movement assistance robot is used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different physical abilities deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm unit is designed with dynamic reconfigurability, allowing it to transform between multiple form types (first form type with arms extended, second form type with arms retracted) depending on the user's physical abilities and movement posture requirements. This dynamic transformation capability enables a single robot to adapt to diverse user needs without requiring multiple fixed-type robots
Solution Approach 2:
The robot arm unit serves multiple functions by being capable of operating in different form types. The same physical structure can provide support for users with varying physical abilities - from those needing full arm support to those requiring minimal assistance - making the single robot universally applicable across different user categories
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple types of movement assistance robots are prepared, then adaptability to different physical abilities is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having multiple static robot types, the invention employs a single dynamic robot system where the robot arm unit can transform between different form types. The transformation is controlled by a transformation control unit that adjusts the arm configuration based on the selected operation mode, eliminating the need to maintain multiple separate robot types
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functionality of multiple robot types into a single unified system. The robot arm unit integrates both the first form type (for users with lower physical ability) and second form type (for users with higher physical ability) capabilities within one physical structure, allowing it to serve multiple user categories with a single device
Data Source
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Figure 4a
AI summary
There is provided a movement assistance robot in which a single type of movement assistance robot can take care of multiple users having different physical abilities. A movement assistance robot 20 includes a robot arm unit 22 that is disposed in a base 21 traveling using drive wheels driven by a drive source, that includes multiple arms which are mutually and relatively movable by a drive unit, and that is configured to be transformable into multiple form types respectively coping with multiple movement postures (standing-upright walking assistance mode, hand support walking assistance mode, elbow support walking assistance mode, standing-upright riding movement mode, and seat riding movement mode) of a care receiver M1, a holding unit 23 that is disposed in a distal end portion of the robot arm unit 22 so as to support a care receiver, a selective operation unit that selects one form type from the multiple form types, and a transformation control unit that drives the drive unit and transforms the robot arm unit into a form type selected by the selective operation unit.