Smart walkers: an application-oriented review

Page, Solenne; Saint-Bauzel, Ludovic; Rumeau, Pierre; Pasqui, Viviane

doi:10.1017/s0263574716000023

Cited by 26 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 75 publications

(124 reference statements)

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“…The main functionalities of SWs include biomechanical monitoring, individuals’ intention estimation, guiding strategies, navigation systems, and fall prevention modules [ 20 , 21 ]. Literature evidence also reports several interfaces for safe and natural interaction with users and the environment [ 19 , 20 , 22 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Physical Interaction during Walker-Assisted Gait with the AGoRA Walker: Strategies Based on Virtual Mechanical Stiffness

Múnera

Provot

et al. 2021

Sensors

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Smart walkers are commonly used as potential gait assistance devices, to provide physical and cognitive assistance within rehabilitation and clinical scenarios. To understand such rehabilitation processes, several biomechanical studies have been conducted to assess human gait with passive and active walkers. Several sessions were conducted with 11 healthy volunteers to assess three interaction strategies based on passive, low and high mechanical stiffness values on the AGoRA Smart Walker. The trials were carried out in a motion analysis laboratory. Kinematic data were also collected from the smart walker sensory interface. The interaction force between users and the device was recorded. The force required under passive and low stiffness modes was 56.66% and 67.48% smaller than the high stiffness mode, respectively. An increase of 17.03% for the hip range of motion, as well as the highest trunk’s inclination, were obtained under the resistive mode, suggesting a compensating motion to exert a higher impulse force on the device. Kinematic and physical interaction data suggested that the high stiffness mode significantly affected the users’ gait pattern. Results suggested that users compensated their kinematics, tilting their trunk and lower limbs to exert higher impulse forces on the device.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Physical Interaction during Walker-Assisted Gait with the AGoRA Walker: Strategies Based on Virtual Mechanical Stiffness

Múnera

Provot

et al. 2021

Sensors

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“…Physical therapists advise elderly people to stay physically active to preserve or restore mobility [2,3]. Walkers are widely prescribed by clinicians to such patients to enlarge the base of support for improved walking stability [4]. Furthermore, robotic walkers are wheeled walkers equipped with motors and sensors that can be used to assist physical therapists in rehabilitation treatment to help elderly people regain mobility [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gait Phase Estimation Based on User–Walker Interaction Force

Akiyama

Wan

et al. 2021

Applied Sciences

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Smart walkers have been developed for assistance and rehabilitation of elderly people and patients with physical health conditions. A force sensor mounted under the handle is widely used in smart walkers to establish a human–machine interface. The interaction force can be used to control the walker and estimate gait parameters using methods such as the Kalman filter for real-time estimation. However, the estimation performance decreases when the peaks of the interaction force are not captured. To improve the stability and accuracy of gait parameter estimation, we propose an online estimation method to continuously estimate the gait phase and cadence. A multiple model switching mechanism is introduced to improve the estimation performance when gait is asymmetric, and an adaptive rule is proposed to improve the estimation robustness and accuracy. Simulations and experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed gait parameter estimation method. Here, the average estimation error for the gait phase is 0.691 rad when the gait is symmetric and 0.722 rad when it is asymmetric.

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“…Recent technological advances have led to the development of smart walkers (SW), which are no longer limited to only providing walking assistance, but integrate smart functionalities, such as obstacle avoidance, navigation assistance, fall prevention and/or gait tracking . Some SW can also provide STS assistance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Different technical solutions have been proposed for implementing such STS assistance into a SW, ranging from: (i) basic, passive solutions, in which the braking system of the SW is activated while the user grasps the handles and pulls themselves up from the sitting position; through to (ii) more active solutions, in which the SW motion is controlled in the forward direction to pull up the user from sitting while grasping the handles; to (iii) more complex, active solutions, in which the user is assisted during the entire STS motion by specifically designed trajectories of a manipulated STS supporting element (e.g. forearm or chest support) to achieve optimal transfer characteristics . Independent of the technical implementation, previous evaluation studies of SW‐integrated STS assistance systems suffer from methodological limitations, including small sample sizes, inadequate selection of participants, lack of assessment strategies specifically tailored to the STS assistance system, lack of user satisfaction measures and/or lack of inferential statistical analyses .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…forearm or chest support) to achieve optimal transfer characteristics. 9 Independent of the technical implementation, previous evaluation studies of SW-integrated STS assistance systems suffer from methodological limitations, including small sample sizes, inadequate selection of participants, lack of assessment strategies specifically tailored to the STS assistance system, lack of user satisfaction measures and/or lack of inferential statistical analyses. [10][11][12][13] To our knowledge, factors predictive for the effectiveness and user satisfaction have also not yet been investigated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating the sit‐to‐stand transfer assistance from a smart walker in older adults with motor impairments

Werner

Geravand

Köröndi

et al. 2020

Geriatrics Gerontology Int

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Aim To evaluate the effectiveness and user satisfaction with the sit‐to‐stand (STS) assistance system of a smart walker (SW), and to identify factors associated with them in potential users. Methods A total of 33 older adults (29 women, aged ≥65 years) with motor impairments (habitual rollator use) and no severe cognitive impairment (Mini‐Mental State Examination ≥17 points) carried out a Five‐Chair Stand Test without assistance and five STS transfers with the STS assistance system. Based on the number of successfully completed STS transfers, success rates were calculated for the Five‐Chair Stand Test and the SW‐assisted STS transfers, and compared using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test. User satisfaction was assessed using the Tele‐healthcare Satisfaction Questionnaire‐Wearable Technology (0–80 points, higher score = higher satisfaction). Bivariate correlations and multiple linear regression analyses were used to identify participant characteristics associated with the success rate and user satisfaction with the STS assistance system. Results The success rate for the SW‐assisted STS transfers was significantly higher than for the Five‐Chair Stand Test (93.3 ± 12.9% vs 54.5 ± 50.6%, P < 0.001). User satisfaction was high (Tele‐healthcare Satisfaction Questionnaire‐Wearable Technology 62.5 ± 11.2 points). The success rate with the STS assistance system was not significantly associated with any participant characteristics. Higher body mass index was a significant independent predictor of higher user satisfaction. Conclusions The SW‐integrated STS assistance system can provide effective STS support with high user satisfaction for a wide range of potential users. Our findings suggest the high potential of the STS assistance system for promoting mobility, independence and quality of life for older adults with motor impairments. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 312–316.

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Smart walkers: an application-oriented review

Cited by 26 publications

References 75 publications

Evaluation of Physical Interaction during Walker-Assisted Gait with the AGoRA Walker: Strategies Based on Virtual Mechanical Stiffness

Evaluation of Physical Interaction during Walker-Assisted Gait with the AGoRA Walker: Strategies Based on Virtual Mechanical Stiffness

Gait Phase Estimation Based on User–Walker Interaction Force

Evaluating the sit‐to‐stand transfer assistance from a smart walker in older adults with motor impairments

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