Seating motion analysis and its assistance on a robotic walker

In our current research, we are developing a robotic walker system with standing, walking and seating assistance function. Our developing system is based on a walker which is popular assistance device for aged person in normal daily life and realizes the standing and seating motion using the support pad which is actuated by the novel assistance manipulator mechanism with four parallel linkages. In this paper, we develop the control scheme which realizes the natural seating motion with fewer loads to the patient. For developing control scheme, we investigate the seating motion of aged people who requires to power support and typical seating motion by healthy young people. Comparing with two motions, we set the reference of seating motion with our system and we discuss the required assistance condition during seating motion. Our key ideas are two topics. One topic is analysis of condition which realizes the seating motion as young healthy people. The other topic is combination of force and position control. According to the patient´s posture during seating motion, our control system select more appropriate control method from them. Using proposed control, our system reduces the patient´s load and maintains his posture stably when it is necessary.