Raj Patel, Jason Ummel, and Matt Tharp
By the year 2040, it is expected that over 21.7% of the U.S. population will be over the age of 65 [1]. As of 2015, 1 in 3 people over this age has experienced a fall [2]. Within this population, the number of people who experience a fall continues to increase, leading to varying degrees of injury, loss of independence, fear of future falls, and sedentary lifestyles. The geriatric population needs a fall prevention solution that provides immediate feedback and training based on measured data. Caregivers, families, and physicians should also be provided with performance reports and data that quantify the patient’s activities and walking quality. Our team has developed StrideSmart, which consists of attachments for single-tip canes that can quantify the user’s gait patterns and activity levels by monitoring the can angle and pressure applied during use, as well as provide haptic feedback in the handle of the cane for gait correction. The attachments consist of a main enclosure that will be attached to the side of the cane along with a cane tip cap containing a pressure sensor that slides directly over the existing cane tip. An iOS application also provides displayable data and alerts to deliver essential information to the user and healthcare providers which can help supply individualized care to support proper walking mechanics and habits. These attachments are expected to train the user to walk with the proper mechanics, provide valuable information to healthcare providers, and promote a healthy lifestyle for the geriatric patient.
[1] Aoa.acl.gov, “Aging Statistics”, 2016. [Online]. Available: http://www.aoa.acl.gov/aging_statistics/index.aspx. [Accessed: 03- Feb- 2016]. [2] Cdc.gov, “Important Facts about Falls | Home and Recreational Safety | CDC Injury Center”, 2016. [Online]. Available: http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html. [Accessed: 03- Feb- 2016].