Analyzing a Soft, Pneumatically Actuated, Torso Stabilizing Device to Reduce the Risk of Falls Among the Elderly

Over the past decade, fall related injuries and death among individuals 65 and older due to osteosarcopenia have increased significantly. To reduce the risk of recurrent falls among the elderly caused by osteosarcopenia, a soft-body pneumatically stabilizing device is designed. A few different actuation methods are considered, both rigid and soft body actuators, before deciding the best fit for the design goals of the wearable assistive device. Much of the design is developed through numerically modeling and analyzing the human upper body as an inverted pendulum. Through this method, common characteristics of falling behavior are identified to develop a control system that counteracts falling motion with pneumatically produced forces. An emphasis on human-oriented design provides much of the framework for translating the numerical model of forces into a device that prioritizes user comfort without sacrificing assistive performance.