Power-assisted walking support system with imbalance compensation control for hemiplegics

Walking ability is essential for the elderly if they are to live a self-supported daily life. Conventional walkers have been used by people with weak lower limbs, but manipulating these walkers for desired direction is difficult for hemiplegic patients. This paper describes a power-assisted walking support system that allows these patients better control of their walk by compensating for the force input bias caused by their imbalanced gait. Experimental use by hemiplegics improved the stability and speed of their walk