Power Assisted Walker: Rising Above Seated Mobility

Abstract

Nearly half of older people cannot easily walk 400 meters. Powered mobility aids such as seated scooters discourage healthful walking and have limitations due to size and cost. Using human-centered design, we have developed a novel power assisted walker (PAW), which can be used as a manual walker or as a standing electric scooter. A user can push the device manually supported by a four-wheeled walker or step onto a footplate and ride it as a three wheeled standing scooter, with safety enhanced by two anti-tip casters. A working prototype has demonstrated the feasibility of this design. It also meets user-defined requirements for safety, usability, and transportability. Designs for additional prototypes overcome several engineering challenges and will enable a wide variety of users to meet their mobility needs in the community.