Assistive Robotic Exoskeleton for Helping Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy

The Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD) is a heterogeneous group of muscle diseases, this is manifested by a progressive loss of the strength of the muscles of the pelvic and shoulders girdles. Several devices that can compensate for the loss of some motors skills have been developed in support for the activities of patients presenting such dystrophy. Those devices include the pole or treadmill that can be used with an exoskeleton to improve the phase of displacement among other activities. This work shows a new mechanical design for a robotic-exoskeleton with seven movement axis, having as purpose to help people, with certain LGMD dystrophy or diseases characteristics, in generate movements of flexion/extension in the lower extremity joints and realize the gait cycle. All of the design movement´s analysis is simulated in Solidworks® and OpenSim® software.