Design of a Reciprocal Swivel Gait Orthosis for Paraplegics
Date Issued
2003-12-31
Date
2003-12-31
Author(s)
DOI
912614E002004
Abstract
Swivel walkers enable paraplegic and quadriplegic patients to ambulate without use of their
hands. Patients move side to side to lift one footplate and to produce a side thrust, which
rolls the swivel walker. Since each footplate is instrumented with a yawing mechanism, the
lifting footplate makes the body structure of the walker free to pivot about the other foot
bearing axis of the yawing mechanism. Given the situation that the center of mass of the
body structure lies anteriorly to the bearing axis, the pivoting moment is attributed to rolling
inertial, yawing inertial and the gravitational force. The major disadvantages include slow
ambulation, comparative metabolic inefficiency, awkwardness of doffing and donning, and
inability to walk on uneven terrain. The purpose of this research is to design a new orthosis,
Reciprocating Swivel Gait Orthosis (RSGO), which allows swivel and reciprocating walking
at the same time such that the current function of the swivel walker can be ameliorated. The
biomechanical analysis of the new orthosis was performed based on a mathematical model.
This report contains the mathematical model and design criteria derived from the results of
the biomechanical analysis. The biomechanical analysis will lay a solid foundation for the
design of the RSGO system, where a rigorous, systematic design can be carried out.
Publisher
臺北市：國立臺灣大學醫學工程學研究所
Type
report
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