Active robotic gait-training system and method

A robotic gait training system, comprising:

• a femoral support unit supporting a thigh of a patient;
• a hip joint support unit supporting buttocks of the patient and a first end of the hip joint support unit being rotatably coupled with an upper part of the femoral support unit;
• a lower leg support unit supporting a lower leg of the patient and rotatably coupled with a lower end of the femoral support unit;
• an ankle support unit supporting an ankle of the patient, separated from the lower leg support unit and coupled to a lower part of the lower leg support unit, the ankle support unit extending downwards from the lower part of the lower leg support unit with a predetermined length;
• a support fixing toe tip coupled to an upper end of the ankle support unit and the lower part of the lower leg support unit such that the support fixing toe tip is positioned at an ankle height of the patient in use;
• a toe tip pad suspended from the support fixing toe tip and supporting and wrapping a forefoot of the patient;
• a tilt sensor installed in the lower part of lower leg support unit or in the toe tip pad;
• a first linear actuator operation unit coupled between the hip joint support unit and the femoral support unit and rotating the femoral support unit relative to the hip joint support unit, the first linear actuator operation unit including
• a first load cell measuring a force applied in a hip joint support unit to lift the femoral support unit and having a first end fixed on the femoral support unit,
• a first piston and cylinder of which a piston side is coupled to a second end of the first load cell and a cylinder side is fixed on the hip joint support unit
• a first gear unit engaged with threads of the first piston and cylinder, and
• a first servo motor rotating the first gear unit such that the first piston and cylinder make a linear motion,
• a second linear actuator operation unit coupled between the femoral support unit and the lower leg support unit and rotating the lower leg support unit relative to the femoral support unit, the second linear actuator operation unit including;
• a second load cell measuring a force applied in the knee joint support unit to lift the lower leg support unit and having a first end fixed on the lower leg support unit,
• a second piston and cylinder of which a piston side is coupled to a second end of the second load cell and a cylinder side is fixed on the femoral support unit,
• a second gear unit engaged with threads of the second piston and cylinder, and
• a second servo motor rotating the second gear unit such that the second piston and cylinder make a linear motion,
• a control unit controlling the robotic gait training system and generating a functional electric stimulation (FES) control signal to stimulate a plantarflexor or dorsiflexor of ankle joint by using a signal received from the tilt sensor;
• and
• an FES unit stimulating the plantarflexor or dorsiflexor of ankle joint based on the FES control signal received from the control unit.