Prototype of the Assist System for Early Stage of Standing Up with a Pneumatic Actuator

The standing-up movement from chair and/or bed is important and necessary in life for all parson, in order to start the locomotion, et al. However, some elderly or handicapped persons cannot stand up by themselves with their remaining ability, and they need the help to stand up. For care-receivers and care-givers both, in the early stage of standing-up movement, their physical burden is the biggest. Therefore, we have developed a prototype of the assist system for early stage of standing up with a pneumatic actuator. In order that the care-receiver himself operates the proposed assist system, the micro-computer control system is constructed. Furthermore, the system can provide slow and safe sitting. In this paper, a developed assist system is mounted on a wheelchair and helps the transfer between the wheelchair and bed, or between the wheelchair and the toilet seat.