A wheelchair integrated lower limb exercise/ rehabilitation system: Design and experimental results on the knee joint

The disabled people suffer from spinal cord injuries (SCI) or post stroke hemiplegia are easily exposed to secondary problems due to limited mobility. We have developed the wheelchair integrated lower limb exercise/rehabilitation system which is to have an easy access to automated physical training programs. The system consists of three main modules: 1) an electric wheelchair, 2) a lifter which raises and supports the subject´s body weight, and 3) a lower limb exoskeleton. This paper introduces the concept and configuration of the system. The details of the mechanism design and experimental results on the knee joint are presented.