Page 55 - ITU KALEIDOSCOPE, ATLANTA 2019

ICT for Health: Networks, standards and innovation

We then measured a group of 8 students who were asked to
walk as if they had a disability while wearing a normal shoe
and the assist shoe. Measured data is shown in Figure 9. In
every participant except one, their kicking power with the
assist shoe was lower and more stable than that with the
normal shoe. Authors also examined, and sensed that the
shoe compensated to raise his foot slower with weaker power
than the normal shoe and its compensation power was stable.
Measured data in Figures 8 and 9 indicate the above senses.

We measured integrated electromyogram (iEMG) readings
for two people with walking disabilities to confirm the effect
of the assist shoe. We used the wireless EMG logger from
Logical Product Corporation [9]. The wireless EMG sensors
were attached to the gastrocnemius of the right leg as shown
in Figure 10. The sampling rate was 500 Hz. Measured data
is shown in Figure 11. The results for the assist shoe are
lower than those with a normal shoe for both people. The
compensation effect of the proposed assist shoe is also
confirmed with the iEMG.

Figure 6 – Angle velocity, angle, and acceleration for
participant with walking disability

Table 1 – Angle velocity at the terminal stance

Participant Average (deg./s) SD (deg./s)
Unimpaired 509.36 18.91
participant
Participant with
walking disability 342.06 86.52 Figure 7 – Assist shoe prototype

Table 2 – Angle at the terminal swing

Participant Average (deg.) SD (deg.)
Unimpaired
Participant -17.76 8.02
Participant with -7.45 8.02
disability

4. PROTOTYPE OF SHOE TO ASSIST PEOPLE
WITH WALKING DISABILITIES

As described in section 3, people with walking disabilities, Figure 8 – Kicking power when heel is raised with normal
such as those who suffer from hemiplegia, clearly have a and proposed assist shoes for a stroke patient
weaker kicking power when raising their heel and swing
power when swinging their toe up. We have developed a
shoe, shown in Figure 7, that assists people with walking
disabilities. This shoe has a coil spring and leaf spring to
enable a user to easily raise their heel. The spring force of
the coil spring is 15 kg. The shoe has a roller to avoid the toe
accidentally tripping.

We compare the kicking power (angle velocity) when the
heel is raised between a normal shoe and our proposed assist
shoe worn by a stroke patient. The data is shown in Figure 8.
The kicking power with the assist shoe is lower and more
stable than that with a normal shoe. Figure 9 – Kicking power when heel is raised with normal
and proposed assist shoes

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