Standing up motion support system for wheelchair users

• SHIRAISHI Ryoichiro

  Ph.D. Program in Empowerment Informatics, School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba

• SANKAI Yoshiyuki

  Faculty of Engineering, Information and Systems, Center for Cybernics Research, University of Tsukuba

Bibliographic Information

Other Title

• 車いす使用者のための立ち上がり動作支援システムの開発

Abstract

Standing up motion would be effective for maintaining or improving the function of motor and circulatory system. By standing up in daily life, wheelchair users with lower limbs motor dysfunctions could prevent the development of physiological dysfunctions, such as deep vein thrombosis and disuse syndrome. The purpose of this study is to develop a standing up motion support system for such wheelchair users without any mounting sensors and devices, and to confirm the effectiveness of the developed system through a standing experiment with a wheelchair user who has lower limbs motor dysfunctions. We developed a wheelchair type motion support system and seat reaction force (SRF) sensor. Since the SRF decreases in standing up preliminary motion, the SRF sensor measures the decrease of user's SRF in order to detect the standing up preliminary motion. The system supports standing up motion while SRF decreases less than that during sitting posture. A basic experiment is carried out to confirm the measurement accuracy of the developed SRF sensor. The results of the basic experiment showed that the errors between the true weight and the SRF calculated by the sensor ware within ±10 N. A standing experiment with a spinal cord injury participant who can't stand up by oneself was performed to confirm that the system could detect the user's standing preliminary motion and can support active motion. The results showed that the system started to support user's standing up motion after the system could detect the decrease of the SRF. In addition, the user could stand up actively by using the system. In conclusion, the developed system was effective in helping the wheelchair users to stand up actively in daily life.

Journal

• Transactions of the JSME (in Japanese)

  Transactions of the JSME (in Japanese) 82 (837), 15-00540-15-00540, 2016

  The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers

Keywords

• Support system
• Wheelchair
• Standing up
• Assistive motion
• Medical and welfare assistance

Details

• CRID: 1390001205515131520
• NII Article ID: 130005153831
• DOI: 10.1299/transjsme.15-00540
• ISSN: 21879761
• Web Site: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/transjsme/82/837/82_15-00540/_pdf
• Text Lang: ja
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed