Design and development of a mecanum-built portable perturbation-based balance training device

In this paper, we propose a mecanum-built perturbation-based balance training (M-PBT) device to train a person with a neurological disorder or an elderly person to regain their deteriorated motor adaptive skill to prevent a fall. The following are the features of the device: to challenge the trainees to predict the fall direction, the device (1) generates multi-directional fall options that simulate a slip and trip scenario; (2) is portable to assist in-patients’ rehabilitation; (3) possesses qualities of modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT). The distance traveled and the peak acceleration attained by the device while under different loads were both evaluated to validate the performance of the device. Both the peak acceleration and the distance traveled by the device were measured using Delsys trigno wireless sensors and Kinovea software, respectively. In this work, the movements of the device were validated through 144 trials in which it was driven in eight distinct directions at various accelerations and loads. Univariate analysis and Tukey’s multiple comparison tests were performed to analyze the three objectives (1) influence of load on distance traveled by the device; (2) influence of load on the peak acceleration generated by the device; and (3) influence of input acceleration on the peak acceleration generated by the device. The study suggested that load affected the distance by approximately 1cm but performed well to achieve the peak acceleration to induce perturbation. As the device used a single-leg perturbation technique, the mCIMT characteristic helps to focus on training the weaker limb.