Product design and mechanical validation of a cane-type robot for fall prevention

Abstract

Assistive devices are abandoned by the elderly due to various reasons, although clinical evidences support their use to increase the user's balance and reduce the fall risk. Therefore, it is important to stimulate their usability and acceptability through innovative and cutting edge technology-based strategies. To this end, cane-type robots have been developed throughout the scientific literature. However, there is a lack of mechanical validation and an optimisation of the prototype design that could lead these systems to be placed on the market. Therefore, this study aims to: i) present relevant information about the consumers needs and target specifications of canes available in the scientific literature and international standards; i i) present the first advances of the cane-type robot prototype developed based on the information collected; and iii) validate mechanically the prototype by performing three mechanical simulation tests, i.e., static load, separation and fatigue tests, in the software Solid-Works. As a final outcome, this initial prototype was validated after successfully overcoming the mechanical test simulations to which it was submitted and having met the target specifications outlined based on the information collected.