A team of European researchers, supported by the European Commission and Siemens, is developing a smart walker that will bring sensor and tablet technology to bear helping improve mobility in older adults. The “FriWalk” (short for Friendly Robot Walker) includes cameras and sensors for detailed gait analysis, a heart rate sensor, and a tablet interface that can provide activity coaching.
FriWalk is a high-tech mobility aid that contains depth sensors and cameras to help support the user and monitor their gait and mood using gestural and facial recognition systems. Not only can it detect health risks, but FriWalk also acts as a personal trainer, suggesting nearby activities or places of interest to the user and collecting information about their health as they walk.
Siemens, one of the project’s major contributors, says that FriWalk requires the user to wear special pressure-sensitive insoles that allow the walker to measure the position of their feet, detect their orientation and the amount of pressure exerted on the ground. This information can be collated over a longer period of time, giving doctors a more accurate picture of a person’s overall health.
