A research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has created a wearable robot called Walk On Soot F1, which can help paraplegics walk, overcome obstacles, and climb stairs.
According to the team, our goal is to create a robot that integrates seamlessly into the daily lives of individuals with disabilities.
The weight of the robot is 50 kilograms, and it contains 12 electronic motors that simulate the movements of human joints while walking, and to ensure the user’s balance while walking, the robot is equipped with sensors on the soles of the feet and in the upper part of the body, which monitors 1,000 signals per second and predicts the movements that the user wishes to make. With it.
The lenses on the front of the robot act as eyes and analyze its surroundings, determine the height of stairs, and detect obstacles to compensate for the lack of sensory ability of users with complete hemiplegia.
“The prototype helped me walk at a speed of 3.2 kilometers per hour, climb a flight of stairs, and take side steps to slide down and sit on a bench,” said Kim Seung-hwan, one of the researchers, who himself suffers from hemiplegia.
It is noteworthy that hemiplegia is a stroke or paralysis that affects only one side of the body. Common symptoms include weakness in the muscles of the face, arms, and legs. Hemiplegia occurs as a result of a blockage in one or more blood vessels in the brain tissue, and can significantly affect the life of a person. Due to restricted movements, the symptoms of hemiplegia vary greatly from one person to another, but with support and appropriate treatment it becomes possible to overcome these challenges.