ESC102 Praxis Showcase 2012 Team F216506

| Abstract: Attachable Vacuum Pads for Enhancing Walker Stability

Overview The design challenge addresses that reaching poses problems for elders who are reliant upon ambulatory aids. For the elderly, the device can be physically obstructive, as it increases the separation between the individual and an object, thereby increasing the difficulty with which the object can be reached. This can lead to greater balance issues and therefore increase the risk of injury. Solution design is to facilitate the

expansion of the users zone of convenient reach 1 while maintaining their safety.
Figure 1: standard walker

Design Concept

To maintain natural human sensation and enabling seniors to reach out with their own hands the team avoids designing any artificial hand mechanism such as grabbers. Instead, the team scopes the problem of seniors reaching ability down to enhancing the stability of walkers to better assist seniors reaching out. The design is a pair of walker accessories with four attachable power suction pads. The main purpose of the design is to overcome the aforementioned balance issues by improving the stability of the walker and reduce risk of fall as one leans or holds onto the walker to stabilize themselves while reaching out for objects. These suction pads will withstand the forward and lateral shift in centre of mass when user is leaning on the walker, hence acting as an anchor to avoid the walker from toppling over.

Design Features The suction is activated and released using a pair of feet pedals extending along the side of the walker. Fit various dimensions of market-available indoor-use standard (non-wheeled) walkers. Attached to a walker using a screw-adjustable clamp that fits for walker frame diameters varying from 7/8 (2.22cm) to 1 (3.2cm). Pedal length can be varied using adjustable screws: it fits most walkers with depths of 16- (41.9cm) to 23 (58.4cm).
Figure 2: Device attached to standard walker
1

This zone encompasses the space in which objects can be reached without undue exertion.