Control of a Robot Cane for Locomotion Assistance

With the increase in the elderly population throughout the world, there is a growing number of people in need of locomotion assistance. With current technology, it is possible to enhance walking aids and improve their effectiveness. This paper proposes an adaptive control system for a robotic cane based on an existing prototype. The control design is derived from the model of an inverted pendulum. The controller is based on a linear-quadratic regulator and gain scheduling to adapt to the individual locomotion characteristics of the user, namely the walking speed and the angle of the cane. The performance of the control system is assessed through computer simulations. The results demonstrate the adaptability to typical usage conditions and resilience when faced with rapid input variations, confirming the viability of the approach.