Useability Test to the Wearable Walking-assist Robot (GEMS-H) for Normal Adults Including the Elderly

Useability Test of Gait Enhancing and Motivating System-Hip (GEMS-H)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the userbility and satisfaction of functional gait training with the Gait Enhancing and Motivating System-Hip type (GEMS-H) on locomotor function in normal adults including the elderly.

The GEMS-H is a hip-type assist device developed by the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology. The GEMS-H is worn around the waist and fastened at the waist and thighs by a set of belts with velcro to assist motion at the hip joints. The device weighs 2.1kg, and has 2 brushless direct current motors running on a rechargeable lithium ion battery. The normal operation time for the device is 2 hours. The GEMS-H is available in three sizes to fit various waist/hip sizes: small, medium, and large. The width of each version can be adjusted further to fit individual body size within the circumference range. Also, the thigh frames are available in three sizes (large, medium, and small) for different leg lengths. It is controlled through a custom built application on a hand held tablet.

Participants will be normal adults with community-dwelling older adults aged 19-85.

Participants will be scheduled for 24 training sessions of training plus 3 sessions of testing (pre-training, mid-test after the 12 sessions of training, post-training).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age: 19 - 85 years
• Living in the community-dwelling with ability to travel to the intervention site to participate in the training program.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Difficult to understand experimental tasks because of extremely severe cognitive impairment (Korean-Mini-Mental State Examination, K-MMSE≤10)
• Serious cardiac conditions (hospitalization for myocardial infarction or heart surgery within 3 months, history of congestive heart failure, documented serious and unstable cardiac arrhythmias, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, severe aortic stenosis, angina or dyspnea at rest or during activities of daily living)
• BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2
• Serious medical conditions including myocardial infarction or heart surgery within 3 months, history of congestive heart failure, documented serious and unstable cardiac arrhythmias, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, severe aortic stenosis, angina or dyspnea at rest or during activities of daily living, Severe hypertension, severe weight bearing pain, life expectancy less than one year