Design of a Biochair to Facilitate Leg Muscles Rehabilitation

This paper provides a historical perspective on the design and development of mechatronically controlled assistive exoskeleton devices at San Jose State University (SJSU). The main design objective was to facilitate rehabilitative exercises for patients who have limited leg mobility and are required to conduct exercises without any external help. The paper starts by analyzing previous designs incorporating fluidic muscles that meet the requirements of running knee-related rehabilitation exercises. To activate the “Assistive Bionic Joint – ABJ” system, EMG sensors were mounted. Since a need for a bio-chair designed for partially paralyzed patients where EMG sensors can not be placed on the patient’s leg to generate a trigger signal for the system exists, this research serves as a solution. In this paper, the design of the bio-chair is thoroughly discussed, and the first assembled model was tested for its operation. This system is simple, economical, and user-friendly. It is anticipated to have further implications for the enrichment of muscle rehabilitation, such as higher patient morale, more muscle activity, and shortened recovery times.