Patent ID: 8613691

Claim:
A method of lower limb gait therapy, the method comprising: providing a first lowering and rising foot panel having a first conveyor and a second lowering and rising foot panel having a second conveyor, the foot panels and conveyors being coupled to an actuation system for actuating the foot panels and conveyors; providing a controller operating associated with the actuation system and configured to control the lowering and raising of the first foot panel and second foot panel, and receive information measured by a sensor, the information characterizing a leg position of a subject; supporting a subject's weight at a distance above the first lowering and rising foot panel and the second lowering and rising foot panel, such that a first foot of the subject is able to be in contact with and rest on the first conveyor while a second foot of the subject is able to be in contact with and rest on the second conveyor; lowering the first foot panel when a first leg supported thereon is at the end of a stance phase causing the first foot to separate from the first conveyor thereby permitting at least gravity to propel the separated first foot and the corresponding first leg of the subject forward relative to the subject without encumbrance in a swing motion, while simultaneously conveying, using the second conveyor, the second foot in a backward direction relative to the subject; determining, based at least on the received information measured by a sensor and characterizing the leg position of the subject, when to raise the first foot panel such that the first foot reestablishes contact with the first conveyor in a heel strike; raising the lowered first foot panel to re-establish contact with the separated and swinging first foot; controlling speeds of one or both conveyors; and controlling the lowering and raising of one or both foot panels.