The Development of Gait Detection and Vibration Stimulus System

Gait is a voluntary movement that requires interactions between sensory, muscular and central nerve systems. Therefore, gait disorder may improve by using the external stimulus on sensory system. However, there have not been many studies on biomechanical changes of gait, a dynamic posture of body, when a somatosensory stimulation is applied. Gait experiment was performed to validate this hardware in actual situation with 3-dimentional motion analysis and gait analysis. The results showed changed ground reaction force and angle of joint, which was considered that local somatosensory stimulation gave immediate feedback and changed the characteristics of gait during the gait. The study used a real-time analysis of patient's movement and external stimulation applied at proper timing and its results would be usefully applied in patients who requires gait guidance and have gait abnormality due to lack of balance for rehabilitation.