Co-creative human support robot "Walk-Mate" and its application to elderly people

我们将步态障碍研究为一个在环境和身体相互作用下的时空运动模式的自组织问题。在此框架下，我们提出了Walk-Mate协同创意步行辅助系统。然而，尚未对实际的步态障碍进行系统的调查。基于这些背景，我们将Walk-Mate应用于步态障碍患者，并检查其在行走辅助和康复方面的有效性。研究了以下两个问题。首先，本研究将Walk-Mate重构为一个可穿戴系统，提高了Walk-Mate的可用性。(2)对老年人的有效性评价。从动力系统及其稳定性的角度评价老年人步行伴侣的有效性。因此，2002年利用加速度传感器成功构建了老年人可穿戴的Walk-Mate系统。2003年，该公司开始使用新的Walk-Mate系统调查其有效性。2004年，基于动力系统的概念，提出了步态障碍作为一种动力疾病的评价指标。具体而言，髋关节疾病是肌肉骨骼系统疾病之一的数据被获取并进行了深入的分析。最终对50例患者进行了统计证实。

We are studying the gait disorder as a problem of the self-organization of a spatio-temporal movement pattern in the interaction between the environment and the body. And, based on this framework, we have proposed Walk-Mate as co-creative walking assist system. However, a systematic investigation has not been done for an actual gait disorder. From these backgrounds, we applied Walk-Mate to the gait disorder person, and examining effectiveness in the walking assist and rehabilitation. The following two problems were studied.(1)Construction of Walk-Mate for the elderly peopleFirst in this research, Walk-Mate was reconstructed as a wearable system and the usability was improved.(2)Evaluation of effectiveness to the elderly peopleThe effectiveness of walk-Mate for elderly people was evaluated from the viewpoint of dynamical system and its stability.As a result, it succeeded in the construction of a wearable Walk-Mate system for elderly people by using the acceleration sensor in 2002. It started the systematic investigation of effectiveness by using the new Walk-Mate in 2003. And, the evaluation index of the gait disorder as a dynamical disease was developed based on the concept of the dynamical system in 2004. Concretely, data of the hip joint disease that was one of the musculoskeletal system troubles was acquired and analyzed intensively. Finally, effectiveness was confirmed to 50 patients statistically.