Adaptable Walker to Increase Accessibility for the Elderly

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Track Code	2019-ZIBL-68488
Categories	Mechanical Engineering
Keywords	Adaptable Fully Mechanical Inclined Surface Climbing Interchangeable Legs Mechanical Engineering Stair Climbing Stair Height Adjusting Walker/Rollator Hybrid
Public Abstract	Purdue University researchers developed MobiWalk, a height adjusting walker, to increase accessibility for elderly and disabled individuals. Many buildings and outdoor locations are not accessible to those who are walking impaired. MobiWalk provides a simple low-cost solution by introducing a new design on the contemporary walker by making the walker height adjustable as the user walks. This design allows for increased accessibility over uneven terrain, many staircase heights, and incline surface-climbs. This product will also be useful in 3rd world countries that lack the infrastructure to make locations accessible. A prototype model was able to easily withstand 100 lbs of force in static testing making usable to a variety of individuals. Advantages: -Increased elderly accessibility -Height-adjusting walker Potential Applications: -Geriatrics -Disabled individuals
People	Zibley, Peter Christian (Project leader) Adsavakulchai, Peerapak Birschbach, Cara Ellen Gonzalez, Adalberto Angel Kowalski, Jaclyn Marie Lim, Beatrice Lai Kuan
Intellectual Property	Application Date Feb 4, 2021 Type Utility Patent Country of Filing United States Patent Number (None) Issue Date (None) Application Date Feb 4, 2020 Type Provisional-Patent Country of Filing United States Patent Number (None) Issue Date (None)
Contact OTC	Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization The Convergence Center 101 Foundry Drive, Suite 2500 West Lafayette, IN 47906 Phone: (765) 588-3475 Fax: (765) 463-3486 Email: otcip@prf.org