[TheForge] on d and d.OT now wheelchairs and walkers

[Grover Richardson]

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-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bruce Freeman
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 8:38 AM
To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
Subject: RE: [TheForge] on death and dying.OT

Who said anything about "unconditionally stable"?  An un-wheeled walker is
not unconditionally stable.  Both my parents have used one, and both have
had falls while doing so.  Make the target too high, you'll never hit it.

The government and the lawyers will mandate that anything constructed by
"unconditionally stable."  However, I do agree with the rest of the
paragraph.  There is a large difference in the real world, and what some
people expect.  Shucks, I hear that in a certain city in Ca that they are
trying to mandate dog houses<G>.

I would not anticipate a single device to be suitable for all disabled
people.  But if we never start down that road, we'll never get anything
developed.

Agreed.  But look at the military and It's unyielding effort to find an
aircraft that will do all tasks<G>.  But unless a device is suitable for a
large portion of disabled people, there will be little commercial
development, and the costs will be high. 

My take on how to get a paraplegic walking is largely based upon my
observation of my father.  With his left leg largely useless, he would rock
sideways a bit while walking.  This put the weight on one leg so the other
leg was free to move with little effort.  As I've mentioned, there's a
wind-up toy that walks like this.

A wind-up toy has fused parts.  A paraplegic has limp limbs.  My brother,
when he walked, had much difficulty.  His butt muscles didn't work at that
time.  Fell down a lot<G>.  Now it's to the point that if he falls down
again, there is the possibility of not doing much other than lying flat for
the rest of time.  Sort of like riding a hard tail chopper.  You have a
choice.  You continue to ride the hard tail until it becomes a problem.
Then you can either continue riding for a few years, and spend the rest of
your life in a wheel chair; or trade it in on a similar soft tail<G>.  Of
course the option of not riding is there, but it's not an option, if at all
possible<G>.

Also, my definition of a paraplegic is one whose legs don't work.  It seems,
from the description so far (trying to be polite and non-confrontational
here<G>), that he has some control over the leg musculature.

Had my father become wheelchair bound I would have made up this device for
him:  Basically, elaborate leg braces that have a mechanism forcing the legs
into a standing or walking motion.  Maybe it would have some sort of hand
control to choose "walking" or "standing" mode.  It would actually be MORE
complicated to have a mode for "working at an anvil," as this requires
moving in various directions.

Actually, back when the brother could walk a bit, I had figured out how to
do a leaning fence for him.  This way he could have a fence or brace, sort
of like you see on the tournement of roses parade, that would cage him in so
that he couldn't do a header either into the anvil or the fire<G>.

Now, let's look at the real world.  We work with micro-fliers here.  I have
phds try to put a transmitter on a 30 ounce airplane that will transmit 50
Watts.  Exactly where are the heat sinks and the motorcycle size batteries
going to live on that device?  For the walker, assuming a simple task; 2
motors for ankles, 2 motors for knees, 2 motors for hips (big ones); and
this is only for forward motion.  There are gear boxes.  There are
batteries, there are heat sinks.  Under present technology, I can see a
person walking like that, pulling a trailer which houses the cooling fans
for the electronics and the batteries<G>.  Then there are motors for
sideways motion to achieve balance.  Good idea, please keep thinking on it,
but from this vantage point, I don't see current technology making anything
that would work outside of a laboratory.  Along the same lines, there is a
contest each year for a helicopter to fly out and pick up some weights and
bring them back.  It's a difficult challenge, and they have the best
students from each school working on the task.

If a person has legs, they can probably be constrained to take his weight.
I'm thinking that a mechanism could be made that basically takes over the
function of where to put the foot as the body leans.  It would have to be
intellegently driven, however.  Falls would be possible.  The only design
that precludes falls is a wheelchair.

Yes.  They've been working on that idea for decades.  Still working<G>.

Ahhh.  BIG PROBLEM, going back and re-reading.  The brother's leg braces.
About once every half year he gets sores from where they rub his feet and
legs.  Yes, a person can wear external armor (like a knight); but unless he
has feeling and can tell that he has a problem, the first sign of disaster
will be a visible sore.  And they don't heal quickly.  So, placing an
exoskeleton upon a being that is designed for an internal ekeleton (which is
what leg braces are essentiallly) will cause problems in a new area.  Fix
one problem, creat another.  Fix the second problem, create a third<G>.
Still, good idea.

The classic "3rd leg" is a cane, and a paraplegic could use one to
supplement this device.  Probably even while forging.  I can attest from
watching my father and from a bum knee episode (result of a fall while
skiing) that a person soon learns how to keep his balance afoot when his
legs are weak or partially useless.
 
Hmmm.  A hand holding a piece of metal, a hand holding the hammer, a hand
holding the cane????  Just bugging you here, but I get the idea.

It's difficult to mimic nature, dogone hard to do so.

All the best to you and your father!!  Hope he keeps on moving and enjoying
life!!

Woof