Design and implementation of body weight support gait rehabilitation system

• Main Author: Christian Budiman.
• Other Authors: Hoon Kay Hiang
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering::Assistive technology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/15734
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Patients suffering from stroke or spinal cord injury mostly have weak muscle on their lower limb to support their body weight. However, there have been many researches that suggest repetitive, cyclical movements of the lower limb in gait patterns may facilitate the recovery of functional locomotion. In the traditional ways, patients doing their rehabilitation training are assisted by at least 2 physiotherapist supported their body weight. This way is very labour intensive. Body Weight Support (BWS) is therefore developed to help patients support a portion of their body weight while doing their rehabilitation training, thus reducing the manpower needed during the rehabilitation training. There have been a number of developments on body weight support, which mostly are stationary and patients do the training on the treadmill. In year 2007, a prototype, BWS Gait Rehabilitation System version 1, was developed to cater rehabilitation needs both over ground and on treadmill. It is a collaboration project between Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH). However, many improvements still need be made to make the BWS more workable and provide conveniences to both staff and patients. The BWS Gait Rehabilitation System version 2 is a continual project from the version 1. The development of BWS has lead to the development of supplementary system called sit to stand transfer system. It is a system to help transferring patients from sitting position on a wheel chair to the BWS in standing position. This Final Year Project report presents the background, design and development, and testing of BWS Gait Rehabilitation System (BWSGRS) version 2. The developments include the new arm rests design, mechanism to open and close the BWS’s base, simplification of linear motor controller, new harness design, and additional safety features. The result shows a working BWS Gait Rehabilitation System. Another portion of this report covers the study on the sit to stand motion. Simulation based on experiments on sit to stand motion involving 2 different height groups has been done. The experiment was done based on the height of typical wheel chair. This report also shows the simulation on possible linkage system to assist the patient to stand.