Empowering Mobility with Advanced Powered Walking Assistance

Introduction

Maintaining mobility is one of the key factors in ensuring quality of life for individuals recovering from injury, living with disabilities, or managing the effects of aging. However, traditional walking aids like canes or walkers, while helpful, often lack the advanced support necessary to significantly improve mobility or reduce the physical strain of walking. Our patented powered walking assistant offers an innovative solution designed to enhance walking capability by providing users with powered assistance, promoting greater independence, and improving overall mobility.

Limitations of Conventional Walking Aids

Traditional walking aids, such as canes, walkers, or crutches, offer basic support, but they often fail to address the full range of challenges faced by individuals with mobility impairments. These devices require the user to exert significant physical effort, which can lead to fatigue, discomfort, or even injury, especially in elderly users or those recovering from surgery. Additionally, these aids provide only passive support, meaning they don’t actively contribute to the user’s mobility or rehabilitation progress.

Healthcare professionals and caregivers are seeking solutions that go beyond the basics—ones that provide active support, reduce strain on the body, and promote greater independence for users. In particular, assistive devices that incorporate advanced technology and power systems are in high demand to offer a more dynamic approach to improving mobility.

A New Era of Powered Mobility Assistance

Our powered walking assistant introduces a cutting-edge approach to mobility aids. This device utilizes an integrated power system to actively assist users with each step, reducing the physical strain associated with walking. It is particularly beneficial for individuals with limited strength, balance issues, or those undergoing rehabilitation from surgery or injury. The powered system intelligently adapts to the user’s walking pattern, providing additional support when needed and promoting natural gait patterns.

This technology is ideal for elderly individuals seeking to maintain their independence, as well as for patients in physical therapy who require assistance to regain walking abilities. The device’s ability to dynamically adjust to various walking speeds and terrains ensures that it can be used in a wide range of environments, from home to outdoor spaces.

Key Benefits

Active Mobility Assistance: Unlike traditional aids, this powered system actively supports users with each step, reducing fatigue and increasing mobility.
Adaptable for Rehabilitation: Ideal for individuals recovering from injury or surgery, the system can be tailored to assist in regaining strength and mobility over time.
Promotes Independence: By providing powered assistance, users can achieve greater independence and confidence in their ability to walk longer distances.
Enhanced Safety: The device offers increased stability and support, reducing the risk of falls and improving overall safety for users.

Leading the Future of Assistive Technology

Licensing this powered walking assistant offers a unique opportunity to introduce a next-generation mobility solution to the market. Designed to empower individuals with enhanced mobility and independence, this technology is a must-have for companies looking to lead in the field of assistive devices, healthcare, and rehabilitation.

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Abstract
Claims

A robotic assistant provides active support for disabled users and may take the approximate form of a cane or a walker.

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile assistant platform for helping a user with movement disabilities, comprising:

a robotic vehicle connected to a two-link arm, the two-link arm having a handle at height suitable for a walking cane and movable by means of said two-link arm, to multiple heights in a range around said height suitable for a walking cane;

a digital processor connected to the robotic vehicle to control it;

at least one force sensor in at least one of the handle and the two-link arm connected to apply force signals the digital processor; and

a user-position and orientation detecting device connected to apply configuration signals to the robotic vehicle, the user-position and orientation detecting device being physically connected to one or more of the robotic vehicle, a region outside the robotic vehicle, or on the user, alone or in combination.

2. The mobile assistant platform of claim 1, wherein the user-position and orientation detecting device is physically connected to the user, and

the processor is programmed to cause the robotic vehicle to follow the user along a path that maintains a fixed distance from the user or to cause the robotic vehicle to position and move itself responsively to at least the position, motion, gait, or orientation of the user.

3. The mobile assistant platform of claim 1, wherein the robotic vehicle has a motorized joint.

4. The assistant platform of claim 3, wherein the robotic vehicle has a motorized joint controlled by the processor to apply selected forces to the handle responsively to a position, motion, gait, and/or orientation of the user.

5. The assistant platform of claim 1, wherein the two-link arm has a motorized joint that is controlled by the processor to apply selected forces to the handle responsively to a position, motion, gait, and/or orientation of the user.

6. The mobile assistant platform of claim 1, further comprising a user interface connected to the handle.

7. The assistant platform of claim 1, wherein the user-position and orientation detecting device includes a pair of instrumented shoes that transmit pressure signals indicating a gait of a user, the processor being programmed to control the two-link arm responsively to the pressure signals.

8. The assistant platform of claim 1, wherein the user-position and orientation detecting device includes a pair of instrumented shoes that transmit accelerometer signals indicating a gait of a user, the processor being programmed to control the two-link arm responsively to the accelerometer signals.

9. The assistant platform of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to cause the robotic vehicle to navigate a predefined course.

10. The assistant platform of claim 1, wherein the at least one force sensor includes force and torque sensors on the two-link arm.

11. A robotic touch platform, comprising:

an autonomous person-following base with a touch platform elevated above the base;

the base following a user along a floor without requiring the user to lift the base off the floor and the touch platform being non-weight bearing; and

the base being autonomously controlled to follow a person.

12. The touch platform of claim 11, wherein the base is controlled responsively to a LIDAR signal that is derived from reflectors located on the user’s legs.

13. The touch platform of claim 11, wherein

the base is a differential-drive mobile truck,

the touch platform permits fingertip contact therewith, and

touch platform is located approximately 1.1 m from the floor.

14. The touch platform of claim 11, wherein the touch platform has a force sensor to detect forces exerted by the user’s fingertips.

15. A method of assisting a person walking, comprising:

providing a touch support elevated above the ground at a position where the person can maintain contact with the touch support;

supporting the touch support using a person-following robot; and

using the touch support as a moving reference point without bearing weight of the person to provide proprioceptive feedback to the person.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the touch support is a planar member.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the touch support does not support the person except as required to maintain touch contact with the touch support.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the person-following robot maintains a predefined position away from the person.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the person-following robot maintains a position approximately half a meter to a side of the person and 0.3 meter behind the person.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a virtual reality headset to the person; and

providing distorting visual cues through the virtual reality headset to the person to simulate balance challenges.

Title

Powered Walking Assistant and Associated Systems and Methods

Inventor(s)

Sunil K. AgrawalDanielle STRAMELRobert M. CARRERA

Assignee(s)

Columbia University in the City of New York

Patent #

20200323727

Patent Date

October 15, 2020