Numerical modelling of hydrodynamic thrust in patients using the HidroWalk for gait rehabilitation

This study employs a quantitative experimental methodology to investigate the relationship between flow rate, velocity, and depth with the hydrodynamic thrust exerted on a person using the HidroWalk for physical rehabilitation at CLUSI, Celaya-Salvatierra Campus. Hydrodynamic variables such as flow rate, velocity, depth, temperature, slope, and geometry are manipulated in a scaled variable-slope channel prototype located at the Applied Mechanics Laboratory in DICIVA, Irapuato-Salamanca Campus, which simulates the conditions of the HidroWalk. Computational tools and sensors were used for real-time measurements in both the HidroWalk and the prototype. Additionally, the FLOW3D software was used for the numerical analysis of the velocity and pressure fields generated in a person using the HidroWalk, and software such as ARDUINO and LabVIEW was utilized for developing the user interface installed in the HidroWalk. The study population includes gait alteration patterns simulated with two mannequins of 11 and 30 cm, providing a deep understanding of the relationship between hydrodynamic thrust and the force a user needs to exert for gait rehabilitation.