Walking with a powered ankle-foot orthosis: the effects of actuation timing and stiffness level on healthy users.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In the last decades, several powered ankle-foot orthoses have been developed to assist the ankle joint of their users during walking. Recent studies have shown that the effects of the assistance provided by powered ankle-foot orthoses depend on the assistive profile. In compliant actuators, the stiffness level influences the actuator's performance. However, the effects of this parameter on the users has not been yet evaluated. The goal of this study is to assess the effects of the assistance provided by a variable stiffness ankle actuator on healthy young users. More specifically, the effect of different onset times of the push-off torque and different actuator's stiffness levels has been investigated.

Methods

Eight healthy subjects walked with a unilateral powere

SUBMITTER: Moltedo M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7367242 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature