Design of a Multi-Function Walker/Cane for Enhanced Assistive Function

In the United States over 4 million people use canes and over 1.5 million people use walkers [1]. Of those walker users 77% are 65 years or older. Over 47,000 emergency room visits each year are a result of falls involving walkers and canes. Injuries from walker accidents are seven times more prevalent than cane accidents [2,3]. Many of these injuries result from the unavailability of a suitable assistive device for a patient’s current environment. For example, a walker may not allow patients to maneuver around a living room. Patients often resort to the dangerous practice of furniture walking (using surrounding objects to aid in balance) when environmental factors such as insufficient space preclude the use of a walker-type assistive device. Narrow passageways are particularly challenging to navigate for those individuals using a walker.