Design of a Contact Assistive Robot for the Disabled, Elderly, and Infirm People

Abstract

The use of a wheelchair for normal routines or rehabilitation has various physiological and psychological implications. The use of contact assistive robots in developing countries is limited mainly due to their expensive nature. The benefits of exoskeleton use include health improvement, increased self-dependency, and self-sustenance. The chapter offers a solution through the design of a cheap contact assistive robot for the disabled. The design procedure includes the integration of acquired knowledge on gait training and existing exoskeletons acquired from intense research, visits to rehabilitation centers, and use of computer-aided software for design and simulations. A fully functioning scaled prototype was made that demonstrated the operating principle of the actual design. The design provides a successful baseline for further development of exoskeletons suitable and cheaper for developing countries with an initial estimated total material cost of USD$9000.