

An ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) for the physically disabled is constructed of one or two pieces, but the human leg ,below the knee level, is composed of over 26 bones. As a result, the present AFO shape doesn't match human leg's action. An AFO is usually used for the patients standing on tiptoe or to support their foot. A one-piece AFO foot part accomplishes this purpose. However, a human being walks alternately right and left feet. Many bones are required to transfer our weight smoothly between right and left foot. A foot part of one-piece AFO can not reproduce the movement of a soft human foot. This is the reason current AFOs do not conform to those movement of patients. AFOs which do not reproduce the movement accurately, even if they match the shape of the patients, not only inhibit natural walking, but also disturb normal daily activities ((ADL)). Furthermore, using unsuitable AFOs for long periods of time might harden paralyzed limbs. For better rehabilitation, it is necessary that AFOs has to be proper shape statically but also dynamically that reproduce natural walking movement. To research and develop better orthopedic braces, we measured the action of human legs in AFO devices and walking using sensors and video analysis. A sensor can measure force in the vertical direction (pressure) and force in the horizontal direction (shear). The analysis of AFO becomes possible with this sensor. Video measurements can be used to evaluate human walking by recording the position of each joint and movement of the center of gravity. These measurements can evaluate an objective by numerical analysis rather than just the conventional subjective evaluation of walking.