Post-stroke gait rehabilitation is necessary to aid social re-integration. An active knee orthosis (AKO) can aid gait training through the provision of bodyweight support and assistive knee torque. However, its use may cause instability and it does not ensure improved gait symmetry and speed. Use of a speed regulation device such as a robotic cane in conjunction with and AKO may overcome these limitations. Therefore, to combine the beneficial effects of an AKO and speed regulation, we have devised a gait assistance system (GAS) that combines our developed AKO with our Haptic cane (HC) to provide combined knee assistance and speed regulation. The system can provide constant speed regulation and proprioceptive input to improve gait speed, symmetry and balance, while providing assistive torque to improve knee range of motion. The system is evaluated through tests with nine healthy subjects who wore ankle weights on one leg to simulate hemiparesis. The results show that for majority of the outcome measures (gait and balance parameters), use of the GAS and HC generated significantly better results than use of only the AKO. However, for nearly all the measures there were no significant differences between GAS and HC. Thus, the results indicate that the HC and GAS may be used according to patient's condition, where more severe patients who require assistive torque may use the GAS and less severe patients may use only the HC.

In this paper, a novel, low-cost lower extremity gait rehabilitation device using a single actuator is presented. The proposed device is based on a single DOF 8-bar Jansen mechanism, which was recently introduced as an efficient walking mechanism for legged robots. The mechanism is synthesized to generate the ankle trajectory during human gait relative to the hip, in terms of both position and time. Two mechanisms, one for each lower limb, are applied reciprocally and mechanically synchronized to guarantee symmetric gait. A custom designed seat-type weight support system is also introduced. It supports weight of the user and mechanisms, and also provides the required interaction while maintaining mobility at the hip. To accommodate different users, several parameters of the mechanism are adjustable. Ease of donning-doffing action, weight-bearing and possibility of unhindered arm swing have been considered to provide an effective and user-friendly training environment. A prototype is manufactured, and a pilot study with a healthy subject is conducted to demonstrate feasibility of the concept. Due to ease of control, cost-effectiveness and high intrinsic safety, the proposed system potentially offers a possible method of gait training.