본 연구는 길 찾는 능력과 거리를 인식하는 능력이 떨어지고 많은 주의력에 어려움을 느끼는 노인을 위해 간헐적인 주의 집중만으로 보행 안내를 받을 수 있는 손목에 착용하는 보행 보조 장치를 개발하기 위해 기존의 촉각 기술을 활용한 보행 보조 기술에서 시각 정보를 활용할 수 있도록 촉각 정보에 병행하는 시각 정보인 화면 UI에 초점을 맞추었다. 기술 수요자인 65세 이상 노인 30명에게 스마트워치를 착용시키고 Wizard of Oz로 네 가지 화면 UI로 길을 찾아가도록 지시한 후 각 화면 UI에 대한 평가 및 사후 인터뷰를 진행하였다. 선호도 순위, 경로를 이탈한 사람의 수, 경로 이탈 횟수에 대해 정량적 분석을 실시하고, 사후 인터뷰를 통해 수집된 사용 경험에 근거해 새로운 이해를 얻고자 질적 연구 방법론인 grounded theory로 정성적 분석을 진행하였으며, 본 연구 결과를 바탕으로 모순적인 요구사 항을 가진 노인의 손목시계형 보행 보조 장치 개발 및 후속 연구를 위한 시사점을 도출하였다.

This research is to develop a street-walking aid for the visually impaired, which detects front direction obstacles within 2 meters and inform the user with sound and vibration as well. This way it keeps the visually impaired from such obstacles. This aid also identifies 10 different colors quite correctly so that the visually impaired could apply it when he or she tries to match the color of his or her clothes, or he or she wants to know the color of things he or she would buy. This aid has additional function of identifying the brightness level around the user. It provides also various ergonomic design features such as optimized centroid design for minimal fatigue of hands even after long use, ideal position of back button for easy and convenient grip, easy and compact recharge, raised letters on all buttons, the usefulness of main body itself without attached white cane, non-slip hand grip, high-performance ultrasonic sensors, and wrist strap.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of walking aid on hemiplegic gait of chronic stroke patients. Twelve stroke patients participated in this study. Physiological cost index (PCI), gait speed, and climbing stairs with and without walking aid were measured and analyzed. The results showed that walking with walking aid significantly improved gait speed and reduced physiological cost index and time needed to climb stair (height 7 cm) in comparison with a walking without walking aid. In conclusion, walking aid may improve the speed and efficiency of hemiplegic gait in chronic stroke patients.

The purpose of this study was to find the effects of using aid in enhancing walking ability inpatients with spinal cord injury who have received rehabilitative care. The study population consisted of 24 spinal cord injury patients referred to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in the National Rehabilitation Center (NRC). All subjects were ambulatory with or without an assistive devices. All of the participants were assessed on SCIM II, WISCI II, FIM, MBI, gait speed (m/s), and walking endurance (120 min/m). The data were analyzed using a paired t-test, a one-way ANOVA, and a Duncan test. The results revealed that TSCIM II and all of the items of SCIM II of the cervical ASIA D group patients were higher than those of the Thoracic ASIA A and C group patients (p<.05). The FIM, MBI, and WISCI II of the cervical ASIA D group patients were higher than those of the Thoracic ASIA C group patients (p>.05). The walking velocities of the lumbar ASIA C group patients were higher than those of Thoracic ASIA A group patients (p<.05). The walking endurance of the lumbar ASIA C group patients was higher than that of the thoracic ASIA C group patients (p<.05). The ASIA D group patients used bilateral standard canes or crutches, but none used AFO. The ASIA A and C group patients used bilateral standard walkers with KAFO for standing and walking. The findings suggest that injury level as well as the functionality of walking aids should be considered when formulating a rehabilitative plan for patients with spinal cord injury.

This paper presents a sensor-based cane mechanism for walking aid of the visually impaired person. We also describe an approach to decide properly the length of the specified cane mechanism. The cane mechanism has some sensors to identify the possibility of a collision between the cane user and an object and/or a person, and a signal processing unit that enables the user to recognize such a collision is attached in the mechanism. Thus, the walker using this cane can recognize in advance the possibility of such a collision in his walking process. Consequently, it is helpful for the visually impaired person to walk on a pedestrian road safely. The feature of the proposed cane mechanism and its availability have been shown through experimental works in a typical walking environment.