US 12,138,038 B2
Wearable gait start intention detection device
Choong Hyun Kim, Seoul (KR); and Jinmyeong Lee, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Seoul (KR)
Filed by KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Seoul (KR)
Filed on Nov. 26, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/105,503.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2019-0154639 (KR), filed on Nov. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0153775 A1, May 27, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 5/103 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/11 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 5/1038 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0002 (2013.01); A61B 5/112 (2013.01); A61B 5/6807 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gait start intention detection device for detecting a walker's gait start intention, comprising:
a plurality of left foot sole sensor units configured to measure a left ground reaction force signal generated from a left foot sole while walking;
a plurality of right foot sole sensor units configured to measure a right ground reaction force signal generated from a right foot sole while walking; and
a calculation unit configured to receive and calculate the left ground reaction force signal and the right ground reaction force signal,
wherein the calculation unit is configured to calculate a first center of pressure (COP) location in a walking direction and a second COP location in a direction perpendicular to the walking direction using the left ground reaction force signal and the right ground reaction force signal, and the calculation unit is further configured to detect the walker's gait start intention when a respective ground reaction force signal of the left ground reaction force signal and the right ground reaction force signal of a swing foot heel of the walker increases, and at a same time, the first COP location moves to a rear side of the walker, the swing foot heel comprising one of a left foot heel and a right foot heel of the walker; and
wherein the gait start intention detection device is configured to transmit, responsive to detecting the walker's gait start intention, a control signal to a gait assistive device before an imbalance phase ends, the imbalance phase defining a period in which the first COP moves to the swing foot heel on the rear side of the walker opposite to the walking direction.