5-Link model based gait trajectory adaption control strategies of the gait rehabilitation exoskeleton for post-stroke patients

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5-Link model based gait trajectory adaption control strategies of the gait rehabilitation exoskeleton for post-stroke patients

Article history:

Received 2 August 2009Accepted 7 February 2010 

Zhang Jia-fan a,*, 

Dong Yi-ming a

Yang Can-jun a,

Geng Yu b, + 2 Chen Ying a,

Yang Yin a
a State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Transmission and Control, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027, China
b Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Affiliated with School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China

abstract

Many 4-DOF exoskeleton type robot devices have been widely developed for the gait rehabilitation of post-stroke patients. However, most systems run with purely position control not allowing voluntary active movements of the subject. The lack of intelligent control strategies for variable gait patterns has been a clinical concern of such kind exoskeleton man–machine systems. In this work, we establish a 5-link model for the usual 4-DOF gait rehabilitation exoskeleton type man–machine system and propose  agait trajectory adaption control strategy. A 4 DOF gait rehabilitation exoskeleton prototype is developed as  a platform for the evaluation of design concepts and control strategies in the view of improved physical human–robot interaction. The experimental results with eight healthy volunteers and three stroke patients are encouraging.