Provided is a walking assistance method and apparatus for providing an assistance torque to an ankle of a user. To provide an assistance torque to an ankle of a user, a first pressure value and a second pressure value are received from a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor, a ratio between the first pressure value and the second pressure value is calculated, a gain value is determined based on the ratio, an assistance torque value is calculated based on the ratio and the gain value, and a driver is controlled to output the assistance torque value.

A walking assist device applies resistance force to a movement of a knee joint of a user according to a walking state of the user to assist a walking motion of the user. The walking assist device includes an auxiliary control unit that decreases the resistance force applied to the movement of the knee joint of the user when the walking state of the user transitions from a standing phase to a swinging phase, and a knee collapse sensing unit that senses a knee collapse by detecting that the knee joint of the user is located forward of a waist portion of the user during the standing phase. When the knee collapse sensing unit senses the knee collapse, the auxiliary force control unit reduces a degree of a decrease in the resistance force or stops the decrease in the resistance force.

Disclosed is a massage apparatus. The massage apparatus includes a vibration array including a plurality of vibration devices, a driver configured to vibrate the plurality of vibration devices, and a processor configured to control the driver to generate a stimulus at a stimulus point between the plurality of vibration devices by simultaneously vibrating two or more vibration devices among the plurality of vibration devices.

An assistive device structure for positioning and pressure relief is provided, including a first elastic layer and a second elastic layer, which are attached by using a high-frequency encapsulation process, sealing, bagging, thermoforming, or an integrally molding process. Each of the first and second elastic layers has a bottom surface and an arc surface disposed opposite to each other. The arc surface includes two protrusions and a recess formed there in between. The two protrusions have different heights. A hollow area is disposed in the recess of the first and second elastic layers. Based on such structure, the bottom surfaces of the first and second elastic layers are attached to form the proposed assistive device structure for a user to lean against and providing multiple positioning effects and pressure relief More than four axial directions of supporting forces are generated to effectively enhance muscle relaxation and stress relief.

A communication robot for operating a massage providing apparatus by executing an artificial intelligence algorithm (AI) and/or machine learning algorithm in a 5G environment connected for the Internet of things and a method for operating the communication robot are provided. The method for operating the communication robot may include acquiring a spoken utterance of a user positioned within a prescribed range from the massage providing apparatus, tracking a spoken utterance direction of the user from the spoken utterance of the user, orienting the communication robot towards the spoken utterance direction of the user, acquiring a voice command included in the spoken utterance in relation to operation of the massage providing apparatus, and operating the massage providing apparatus according to the voice command.

A method for controlling an ankle-type walking assistance device may include measuring an angle of a joint of the walking assistance apparatus, calculating an angular velocity and a linear velocity of a frame of the walking assistance device using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) attached to the frame, generating a dynamics model for the walking assistance device based on the angle of the joint, the angular velocity and the linear velocity of the frame, calculating a disturbance applied to the walking assistance device based on the dynamics model, and controlling the walking assistance device based on the calculated force, equivalent, or wrench.

A hippotherapy device includes a saddle for receiving a person thereon, a programmable movement control, and an automatic movement device for automatically moving the saddle according to a movement pattern program. The program specifies a sequence of target values of positions and orientations of the saddle in the locality of the movement device in order to execute the movement pattern. The hippotherapy device further includes a person securing device having a main support on which a body strap is mounted, at least one sensor for detecting at least one physical variable characterizing the body posture of the person on the saddle, and an auxiliary control device configured to compare expected values of the physical variable with current values of the physical variable detected by the sensor, and to trigger an associated safety function, if a deviation of the current values from the expected values exceeds a predetermined tolerance threshold.

A gait disorder support apparatus and gait disorder support method capable of detecting an onset sign of a gait disorder associated with motor symptoms in advance and performing motion assist are proposed. The onset sign of the gait disorder associated with the motor symptoms of a wearer is detected based on the correlation between a gait cycle and a reduction ratio of the gait cycle as compared to immediately preceding gait; and when the onset sign of the gait disorder is detected, a drive unit is controlled so that the drive unit applies assist power to a knee joint of the wearer; and on the other hand, when the onset sign of the gait disorder is not detected, the drive unit is controlled so that driving torque by the drive unit does not hinder the wearer's gait motion.

An apparatus for supporting rehabilitation of a user includes a detector that detects a direction of a head of the user wearing a head mounted display, and a display controller that generates, in a virtual space, a rehabilitation target object to be visually recognized by the user and displays the target object on the head mounted display in accordance with the direction of the head of the user detected by the detector. To avoid risk that the user interferes with an object in a real space, the display controller further controls display of the head mounted display.

In one aspect, an electronic device for promoting proper use of a walking aid during lower extremity injury rehabilitation comprises at least one load sensor configured to measure a load on the walking aid. A memory stores rehabilitation program data defining at least one time interval of a rehabilitation period and, for each time interval, a target load for the walking aid during the time interval. A currently operative time interval of the at least one time interval of the rehabilitation period is identified. Data is received, from the load sensor(s), indicative of a dynamic load on the walking aid during a patient step. Based upon the received data, a peak load upon the walking aid during the patient step is determined. A user notification indicating that the peak load is non-compliant with the target load for the walking aid for the currently operative time interval is provided.