Development and Motion Analysis of Simple Self-Transfer Aid Robotic System

We have developed a simple self-transfer aid robotic system and have conducted experiments of motion analysis. The users targeted are people with impaired walking ability who use a wheelchair, however are still able to walk to some extent. With the aid transfer, these users can maneuver themselves independently to and from apparatus, in this case, toilets. In practice, users lean their upper-bodies onto the saddle of a robotic arm, which lifts and transfers them to their destination. We have confirmed that a self-transfer aid robotic system can lift a human body more gently than a transfer (non-self transfer) aid system, and the human physical burden when using a slower speed of lifting up is smaller than a higher speed.