Development of Walking Support Machine (Mechanical Device to Prevent Patient's Falling)

摘要

Along with the steadily rising elderly population in Japan, the number of aged persons with difficulties in walking is increasing. These patients undergo rehabilitation in hospitals which impose a constant and heavy burden upon the health care personnel who must assist them. For patients to rehabilitate by themselves, a walking support machine is needed that can prevent them from falling down. This paper proposes a walking support machine with a safety device to prevent falling down. This safety device consists of mechanical components without actuators. The usefulness of this device is experimentally examined.