Design and Operation Requirements for an Ankle Assisting Device

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the design and operation requirements for an ankle assisting device, aiming to enhance mobility and provide support for individuals with lower limb impairments. Starting from the anatomical configuration of the ankle and analyzing the various joint problems, an example of a device is proposed. The CABLEankle, a cable-driven device, is designed to respond to the requirements for motion assistance with design and operation goals. The clinical aspect of monitoring ankle movement is guaranteed through detection of biomechanical aspects such as muscle activation and measurement of distances, forces, speed and angles. In relation to the design and operation goals, the following characteristics are considered: low cost, user-oriented use, ergonomic and customized to be easy to wear, reduced size and weight to facilitate portability, low power to safeguard user’s safety. Another important aspect is including intelligent control and remote monitoring on the device to make it self-managed and useful for an at-home motion assistance or rehabilitation.