A Review of Intelligent Walking Support Robots: Aiding Sit-to-Stand Transition and Walking

Nowadays, numerous countries are facing the challenge of aging population. Additionally, the number of people with reduced mobility due to physical illness is increasing. In response to this issue, robots used for walking assistance and sit-to-stand (STS) transition have been introduced in nursing to assist these individuals with walking. Given the shared characteristics of these robots, this paper collectively refers to them as Walking Support Robots (WSR). Additionally, service robots with assisting functions have been included in the scope of this review. WSR are a crucial element of modern nursing assistants and have received significant research attention. Unlike passive walkers that require much user’s strength to move, WSR can autonomously perceive the state of the user and environment, and select appropriate control strategies to assist the user in maintaining balance and movement. This paper offers a comprehensive review of recent literature on WSR, encompassing an analysis of structure design, perception methods, control strategies and safety & comfort features. In conclusion, it summarizes the key findings, current challenges and discusses potential future research directions in this field.