Human–Robot–Environment Interaction Interface for Smart Walker Assisted Gait: AGoRA Walker

Sergio Sierra M. (1) , Mario Garzón (2) , Marcela Munera (1) , Carlos Cifuentes (1)

1 Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito [Bogota]
2 CHROMA - Robots coopératifs et adaptés à la présence humaine en environnements dynamiques

The constant growth of the population with mobility impairments has led to the development of several gait assistance devices. Among these, smart walkers have emerged to provide physical and cognitive interactions during rehabilitation and assistance therapies, by means of robotic and electronic technologies. In this sense, this paper presents the development and implementation of a human–robot–environment interface on a robotic platform that emulates a smart walker, the AGoRA Walker. The interface includes modules such as a navigation system, a human detection system, a safety rules system, a user interaction system, a social interaction system and a set of autonomous and shared control strategies. The interface was validated through several tests on healthy volunteers with no gait impairments. The platform performance and usability was assessed, finding natural and intuitive interaction over the implemented control strategies.

Mots clés: smart walker; human-robot-environment interaction; control strategies; shared control; gait assistance; gait rehabilitation

Domaines: Automatique / Robotique; Biomécanique [physics.med-ph]

Sergio Sierra M., Mario Garzón, Marcela Munera, Carlos Cifuentes. Human–Robot–Environment Interaction Interface for Smart Walker Assisted Gait: AGoRA Walker. Sensors, 2019, 19 (13), pp.1-29. ⟨10.3390/s19132897⟩. ⟨hal-02182511⟩