Walking Assistance Apparatus Landing Time Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing walking assistance apparatuses lack efficient methods to detect landing times and initiate gait assistance based on joint angle information, leading to potential errors in gait assistance direction and duration, which can be detrimental to users with joint problems or elderly individuals.
Innovation Solution
A walking assistance method and apparatus that detect the landing time of a user's foot using acceleration information and sense hip joint angle information to initiate and terminate assist torque profiles, ensuring gait assistance is aligned with the user's intended motion and preventing inverse gait assistance errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If gait assistance is initiated based on joint location sensing, then gait assistance direction accuracy is improved, but landing time detection precision is required to prevent errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting the landing time of the foot before initiating gait assistance. This ensures that the assist torque profile is activated at the correct moment in the gait cycle, preventing inverse gait assistance errors and ensuring accurate assistance direction aligned with user intent.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from acceleration sensors and joint angle sensors to continuously monitor and adjust gait assistance. The landing time detection based on acceleration information provides feedback that triggers the appropriate assist torque profile, while joint angle sensing provides ongoing feedback to maintain accurate assistance throughout the gait cycle.
2Duration of action of moving object
If assist torque profile is output continuously, then gait assistance duration is extended, but timing accuracy and user safety are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by outputting the assist torque profile for a specific duration following foot landing, then terminating it based on predetermined time conditions. This periodic activation ensures gait assistance is provided for the appropriate phase of the gait cycle without extending indefinitely, maintaining timing accuracy and user safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system determines when to terminate gait assistance based on self-evaluated conditions, including the elapsed time since foot landing and predetermined time conditions. This self-service termination mechanism ensures that assistance is automatically stopped when no longer needed, preventing excessive duration while maintaining accuracy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides robust and adaptive gait assistance that aligns with the user's intended motion, reducing the risk of errors and improving the effectiveness of walking assistance, especially for individuals with joint issues or elderly users.
Implementation Method 1
detecting the landing time of a foot of the user based on acceleration information
Data Source
AI summary
A walking assistance method may include: detecting a landing time of a foot of a user; and/or initiating gait assistance based on a first joint location of a first leg of the user sensed at the landing time and a second joint location of the user sensed after the landing time. A walking assistance apparatus may include: a driver configured to perform gait assistance of a user; and/or a controller configured to control the driver to initiate the gait assistance based on a first joint location of a first leg of the user sensed at a landing time of a foot of the user and a second joint location sensed after the landing time.