Development of a robot arm controlled by force sensors as a walking aid for elderly

Abstract

This paper presents a prototype development of a robot arm to assist walking of elderly people. For effective use in Japanese houses, a robot arm mounted on a rail was designed. Force sensors were used to provide an easy-to-use interface. Thresholds of forces were determined to detect the user's intention to walk as well as for safety considerations. Applying a step by step motion, the arm could follow the rhythmical walking of the subject. We examined an interface method using force sensors and concluded that it can detect the user's motion at the beginning of a walk.