Currently, when an individual needs a mobility device, they must settle for walkers and rollators which cater to some of their needs. For some, this is acceptable, but for others these ill-fitted devices pose a threat to their safety as they increase the frequency of falling while walking. For individuals with ataxia, this problem is further exacerbated as they do not possess the needed motor functions to coordinate their movement and appropriately control the device. This brings relevancy to the topic of customizing walkers for certain individuals to ensure their safety. The patient in this project suffers from multiple system atrophy cerebellar type (MSA-C), a rare progressive neurodegenerative disease which results in the shrinking of the portion of the brain directly above the spinal cord. The disease is typically characterized by a lack of coordinated muscle control which affects the individual’s speech, eye movement, gait, and limb co-ordination. As with other forms of ataxia, there is little to no research on devices designed to support individuals with such a disease. The goal of this project is to design a walker suitable for the patient as it has been found that his unique condition cannot be adequately supported by commercially available walkers. The ergonomic walker created is a modification of the U-step walker designed and manufactured by In-Step Mobility Products Corporation. This walker was chosen based on its stable base technology and braking system designed for individuals with limited motor functions. The device was further modified to include an emergency brake system, a sensitive control panel, and a seat tailored to the anthropometric data of the patient. The result was an ergonomic walker designed to ensure the safety of the patient while giving him the confidence to walk independently.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:asrf-1998 |
| Date | 07 April 2022 |
| Creators | Erhabor, Eseosasere Stephany, Afrin, Samia, Prince, Richard, Hemphill, Bill, Zollinger, David |
| Publisher | Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
| Source Sets | East Tennessee State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Appalachian Student Research Forum & Jay S. Boland Undergraduate Research Symposium |
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