A concept was given by the UH engineering department, this concept was a pulley system “device [that] could be [an] effective means to couple the arms and legs, which may promote neural benefits and help restore an individual’s walking ability.”
Vega D, Thomas SA, & Arellano CJ. Reducing metabolic cost of walking by using the arms to drive the legs. Undergraduate Research Day, Houston, Texas, October 2018
Inspiration
Detour
The 3 concepts were shown to academic professionals and a physical therapist in the Houston area. The main problem that was pointed out was that because of the pulley system patients could trip and lose balance causing them to move unevenly and a normal gait pattern would not occur. Another thing to consider was that only 25% of patients would need a harness. Finally, it was said that the arm moving would be great without connecting the arms and legs physically.
“We conclude that (1) arm swing should be seen as an integral part of human bipedal gait, arising mostly from passive movements, which are stabilized by active muscle control, which mostly originates from locomotor circuits in the central nervous system (2) arm swinging during normal bipedal gait most likely serves to reduce energy expenditure and (3) arm swinging may be of therapeutic value.”
Meyns, P., Bruijn, S. M., & Duysens, J. (2013). The how and why of arm swing during human walking. Gait & Posture, 38(4), 555–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2013.02.006
Inspiration 2.0
Collaboration with Zain Jamjoom
