Honda walking supporter for seniors

Honda Motor Company has introduced a new walking supporter model for  elderly and handicapped people. Honda has plans to showcase an experimental model of a walking assist device, which could support walking for the elderly and other people with weakened leg muscles, at the International Trade Fair on Barrier Free Equipments and Rehabilitation for the Elderly and the Disabled (BARRIER FREE 2008) being held at Intex Osaka. Honda has been working on a walking assist device since 1999 with a goal to provide more people with the joy of mobility. Currently, the device has entered into the feasibility stage.

The cooperative control technology utilized for this device is a unique Honda innovation achieved through the cumulative study of human walking just as the research and development of technologies was conducted for Honda's advanced humanoid robot, ASIMO. Applying cooperative control based on the information obtained from hip angle sensors, the motors provide optimal assistance based on a command from the control CPU. With this assist, the user's stride will be lengthened compared to the user's normal stride without the device and therefore the ease of walking is achieved.

The compact design of the device was achieved with flat brushless motors and a control system developed by Honda. In addition, a simple design to be worn with a belt around the hip and thigh was employed to help achieve overall weight as light as approximately 2.8kg. As a result, the device reduces the user's load and can be fit to different body shapes.

The research of this device is being conducted by the Fundamental Technology Research Center of Honda R&D Co., Ltd. in Wako, Saitama.

Honda will arrange an opportunity for interested attendees to wear and experience this walking assist device at the Honda booth at BARRIER FREE 2008.