Initial Development of a Variable-friction Floor Surface

Abstract

This paper investigates the design of a variable-friction floor device for clinical and rehabilitation applications. Several designs based on rolling elements were proposed and investigated. Coefficients of static friction were measured to compare capabilities of floor tiles made of ball transfer units or covered with PTFE. The measurements showed that while a device based on rolling elements is limited in supported footwear and in simulating heel strike, and can lead to a complex friction-variation system, it can simulate friction coefficients as low as ice.