A walking stick will help people with mobility problems walk more confidently

Engineers from the Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Sciences created the Canine robot walking stick, which will expand the capabilities of people with mobility impairments and over time will make their movements more confident. About it writes New Atlas with reference to the message of the university.

According to the authors of the development, about 35% of people aged 75 to 80 years suffer from some form of mobility impairment (compared to 4% among people aged 18 to 49 years), and this number will only increase. Currently, the ratio of young to old is about seven or eight to one, but it is expected that by 2050 it will be reduced to about five to one.

Smart walking sticks have been developed before, but most of them are a set of sensors for determining the environment for visually impaired users or measuring the physical recovery of patients based on the pressure they exert on the walking stick.

The capabilities of the new robot are wider - it easily touches the owner’s hand and directs it in the right direction. Thus, the engineers tried to create a sense of the presence of another person who helps with walking.

hightech.fm